A Betty March Mystery
by IdaNell
Summary: A story loosely based on what we know happens in the Veronica Mars movie. Veronica returns home for her 10 year reunion and to deal with the writer of the Betty March books which are based on Veronica herself. When someone starts to commit murders from the unfinished 3rd book can Veronica and Logan save each other and catch a killer?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Veronica Mars was having a hard time breathing. She stood in an exquisite blue ball gown covered in beads and crystals that danced in light shining down on her. Everyone in the ball room was staring at her and the 20 pounds of tulle holding up her skirt and yet weighing her down at the same time. "This is my hell." She thought to herself as she desperately started looking for an exit. There was a loud banging and every head in the room turned to see a large stage with two large golden thrones. Piz walked out on the stage dressed like a prince from a fairy tale. As soon as she saw him Veronica should have felt relief but it seemed like the dress was starting to swallow her whole and she thought she just might let it, because she certainly wasn't looking forward to what was about to happen.

"Ladies and Gentlemen" Piz opened, "I want to thank you all for coming tonight as I announce my intention to make the Lady Veronica my Princess."

"Lady Veronica? Princess?" the voice in her head said. Was Piz high and she not know it?

"Lady Veronica", Piz continued "is the most virtuous and lovely of all the ladies. The perfect example of femininity. She believes in right and wrong, is caring and dutiful and will make the most excellent wife and mother."

Veronica tried to open her mouth to protest, but nothing came out. This was not what she wanted, this is not who she was, didn't Piz know her at all? She tried again to scream but her dress only got tighter as the skirt started to pull her down.

"Since no one objects, Veronica will be mine." Piz stated.

"Hold your horses there Prince Snoozey." Out of the crowd walked Logan Echolls dressed simply in jeans, t-shirt and the leather jacket Veronica loved him in. Veronica's heart skipped a few beats. She still was being drowned by her dress but for the first time the fear was subsiding. Logan strolled over to Veronica and looked her up and down shaking his head. "Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. This won't do at all." Logan snapped his fingers and suddenly Veronica could breathe. She gasped for air and looked down, gone was the dress and all the tulle; she was in jeans, her boots and favorite shirt. She looked at Logan and smiled, this was her. She opened her mouth to speak; Logan held his hand up and said "Hold all questions till the end of the tour, please." He slapped her on the butt, winked and sauntered up to Piz who looked quite upset that someone had interrupted his party for his Princess Lady Veronica.

Logan started monologing as he made his way up to the stage and to Piz. "I should stop this." Veronica thought, but most of her was waiting with anticipation to hear Logan set Piz straight. "Oh, poor poor Piz." Logan began. "Have you learned nothing from your time with Veronica Mars? She answers to no one but herself. She is not a prize or possession you can claim as your own. Lord knows I tried and failed and I am more her equal than you could ever hope to be. No, dear boy, because let's be honest you are a boy playing at being a man, Veronica Mars is a wild animal. She may prefer to think of herself as a stallion never to be broken by the will of any man, but I like to think of her as a bobcat." Logan turned and grinned and gave Veronica a naughty wink as she felt that familiar flip-flop of her stomach and warmth that crept up her entire body. Logan turned again to face Piz and there was a sadness that entered his voice. "No Veronica Mars is her own person, you can love her with all your heart, try to be the man you know she deserves, do your best to protect her , but it won't be enough." Veronica felt the tears biting at the corners of her eyes as Logan spoke. "She will see your love as her weakness and your protection as a betrayal of her warrior spirit and she will run."

"Logan." She whispered.

He turned and looked at her, hurt in his eyes but a smile on his lips. "What I am trying to say is that it is easy to love Veronica Mars but you cannot force Veronica Mars to love you back. So you have to let her choose. Let her come to you and that is how you know you are officially the luckiest son of a bitch in the world. But never try to make her be anything but who she is."

Piz scoffed "I think I know my Lady Veronica better than some emotionally stunted bad boy who peaked at 18." "17" Logan corrected. "Whatever" Piz continued "I trust I know the pure and good heart of Veronica better than you. And to prove it I will let her choose. Veronica please go to the man who knows your soul and that you love with ferocity of a thousand burning suns."

Veronica took off running and laughing and jumped straight into the waiting arms of Logan Echolls.

Veronica sat up with a start. She looked at the clock; it was 3:30 in the morning. She looked out her window out on the New York sky line and took a deep cleansing breathe and fell back on her bed and pulled a pillow over her face. "What the hell was that my dear subconscious" she said.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Veronica's phone started ringing a full two minutes before her alarm was set to go off. She was planning a slow painful death for whoever was on the other line as she picked up the phone.

"Good Morning Starshine." Piz was far too chipper for 7:45 on a Sunday morning. "I know you have an early flight to LA today so I'm bringing breakfast for my Lady Veronica."

Veronica's heart tightened; did he really just call her Lady Veronica? Her dream from the night before came flooding back. She felt sad and guilty and what was that other thing, oh yeah, longing. Longing for a life and a man she left far behind.

"Veronica?" Piz said through the line "Veronica, did you fall back asleep?"

"No. No I'm here Piz, when can I expect you?"

"Actually, I'm downstairs. Be there in a second." Piz hung up the phone and bounded up the stairs two at a time to see his girlfriend the Veronica Mars.

Veronica laid on her bed and stretched as a huge sigh left her body. "All right, game face on." She said as got up and paddled her way to the front door of her small studio apartment. She and Piz had reconnected only 3 months ago and started dating again about 6 weeks ago. It was nice she kept telling herself. This is what she needed, someone who knew her but didn't really know her. Someone it was all sunshine and daisies with. If she was honest with herself she knew they had an expiration date, all the guys she had dated over the past 8 or 9 years had. She couldn't really put her finger on it, well scratch that, she didn't want to put her finger on why no one lasted more than a few months. Piz reached the landing as Veronica opened her front door.

"Hello sleepy head." He said as he kissed her cheek and walked inside. "Bagels and coffee for the busy traveler."

"Thank you Piz" she said as she closed the door. "You really didn't have to do that."

"Hey, you have a long trip and a long week ahead of you. I just wanted to spend some time with you before you left."

"You are flying in Friday, it really isn't that long." Veronica sighed as she went rooting through the bag to find her breakfast. Grabbing the perfectly made bagel and shoving a huge bite in her mouth, she continued "If it wasn't for this stupid trial run with the LA office I don't know if I would even show up to this stupid reunion. I'm just really hoping to find a room full of botched botox and hairpieces to feel better about myself."

"Don't forget Wallace and Mac." Piz added as he grabbed his coffee and sat down on Veronica's couch.

"Never. I just can't believe Wallace RSVP'd for me. He has a lot of nerve doing that before he knew I was even coming to town."

"Actually…" Piz stared into his cup, afraid of the can of worms he was about to open. "I told him too."

"What!" Veronica yelled as a piece of bagel fell from her mouth.

"You haven't been back to Neptune in years, we had just got back together and I thought it would be a fun first trip together. I miss the beach, and I miss Wallace and I know you miss your Dad. Besides I just want you to show me off to those 09er jerks." As Piz hurried through his reasoning he looked up and gave Veronica his best puppy dog pout hoping that it would ease the blow up that was coming his way.

Veronica took a moment. On one hand she wanted to grab the heaviest and sharpest thing she could find and launch it in Piz's general direction. But on the other she was secretly excited about the possibilities of going back to Neptune. She knew no one was going to be throwing her a ticker tape parade but there were people there that missed her as much as she missed them right?

"You are very lucky that I have to get ready now, or you could be in some serious trouble mister." Veronica waved her finger at Piz. "Just next time, ask. I'm not really big on surprises."

"As you wish my Lady."

"Piz. Please stop calling me your lady." Veronica said shortly through clenched teeth as she marched into her bathroom.

"Ummm, Ok." Piz replied puzzled by the sudden iciness in her tone. He pulled out his tablet ready to dive into the next few chapters of the new mystery book by his favorite writer.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Veronica stepped into the shower and as the warm water and steam engulfed her, she knew she had to focus on the job at hand. She had been doing the interview dance with several huge law firms in the city but the one she wanted most was the job with Curtis, Levin, and Martin. They were an international firm that handled everything from hearings in front of the Supreme Court to small claims court cases. It was true she gave up the PI business when she left California but being able to fight for the little guy and still put a few CEOs in their place seemed like the perfect fit. The powers that be at CLM seemed to agree, but they wanted Veronica to go and spend 2 weeks at the LA office to get her feet wet and see if she was a good mesh with the company was the way they worded it.

She wasn't thrilled by the idea that the company might want her to leave New York, but they were making it worth her while. So she had agreed, besides it meant time with her Dad and Mac and Wallace and with her high school reunion smack dab in the middle of those two weeks she might as well bite the bullet and attend. It would be good for her to see that she made the right decision to leave. Those people who had made her life hell, they had made her stronger, it made her better and even though she didn't care what they thought, she wanted them to see they didn't break her.

She finished getting ready in quite since Piz was engulfed in his tablet, probably reading some musician's biography she thought. Veronica didn't mind the silence, that was just the way things were with her and Piz, they didn't have to talk about feelings and share, they were content just to be in the same place.

Her curiosity was peaked when she thought she heard Piz let out a sob. "Piz, babe. Is everything ok?" Veronica asked as she stuck her head out the bathroom.

"Oh. It's just the book I'm reading, it's kinda intense and I guess I didn't realize how invested I am in these people's lives." He answered as he put the tablet down and walked over to Veronica's bed and sat so he could watch her finish getting ready.

"Is it a biography?" Veronica asked as she went back to applying her eye liner.

"No it's a mystery novel. It's the second in the Betty March series." Piz replied.

"So you are super invested in the lives of fictional characters?" Veronica asked with a smirk.

"Don't mock. They are incredibly well written and you just get wrapped up in the lives of the main characters. I can't explain it right, there is just something about it that pulls at your soul."

"If you say so. How many are there?" Veronica walked out and looked and boyfriend's open face and smiled at his obvious enthusiasm over the book.

"Just 2 now but the third is in the works and I hope many more after that. They are just that good."

"Shit. Is that the time?" Veronica hissed as she looked at her clock. "The firm's town car is supposed to be here any moment. Could you help me carry my bags down?"

"Now what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't?" Piz asked jokingly.

"A jerk ex one." Veronica returned with a laugh.

Once her luggage was in the town car taking her to the airport Veronica and Piz said their goodbyes sealed with a chaste kiss on the lips.

"I'll see you Friday." He said as he closed her door. He waved as the car drove down the street and that was when he first allowed himself to feel the sadness growing in his body. He shook it off, "She is just going after her dream job." He told himself. Besides I have Betty March to keep me company.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Veronica found herself with an unsual amount of time to kill before almost six-hour flight to Los Angeles so she decided to walk around the gift store. She had always found them amusing, full of trinkets that gave the impression of taking in the sights without ever having to leave terminal. As she walked by the books a cover caught her eye. It looked like the cover on one of those pulp crime novels, but the blonde was the one behind the desk with a sharp dressed man leaning against the side of the desk, his hat hiding his face. The sticker on the hard cover booked proclaimed it a Number 1 on the New York Times best seller list.

"Oh I love those books." Said a little old lady behind Veronica.

Veronica smiled, "Yes my friend, I mean my boyfriend does too." She was glad Piz is not there to witness another slip when it came to addressing him as her significant other in conversation.

"You look like her you know." The old woman said. "Betty March, the way she is described in the books, you are a dead ringer for how I imagine she looks."

Veronica laughed, well that might be one reason Piz is so into them. She held the book in her hands and ran her fingers over the cover. A Poker Game with the Devil, a Betty March Mystery by L.E. Lester. As her fingers traced the letters on the title every hair on her body stood up on end and her heart quickened. She needed this book and she couldn't explain it. So she bought the overpriced hard back and squeezed it to her chest until she was comfortably sitting in her 1st class seat on her way to California.

Veronica stared at the book already amazed at the pull she felt to it. She cracked open the book, she did love that sound and fresh smell of paper and ink that greeted her nose. Tablets were great, but nothing could really beat the feel of a book in your hands she thought to herself as she turned to the dedication page.

_**For Bobcat.**_ She smiled to herself.

Time stopped as she read the opening lines.

_**It was an epic love. Spanning years and continents. Lives ruined and bloodshed. Epic and all Rick could do was hope that Betty March knew what she was doing.**_

Veronica Mars was crying in 1st class on a flight from New York to Los Angeles and she didn't care who saw her. When the flight attendant came to check on her, she put a knowing hand on Veronica and said, "Oh that book is so insanely good, wait till you read the second one." Veronica wanted to explain but she couldn't even form words she just looked at attendant nodded and turned back to the book. She poured over the book page by page, she saw her thinly veiled misadventures from high school played out for the whole world to read. She should be mad, furious even, but the truth was it broke her heart.

In the story Betty was an Investigative Reporter and Rick the son of the local crime boss. Their relationship was rocky and explosive but earnest and passionate and no matter how they screwed up they always found a way back to each other. Because Rick loved Betty with all his heart and soul; but how Betty felt about Rick was a little more open ended. That is what cut Veronica to her core.

It seemed like Veronica had been holding her breath the entire time she was reading the book. When she finally finished she closed her eyes and tried to collect her thoughts, but they were running a mile a minute. She looked at the cover. Her fingers traced the author's name, L.E. Lester. Logan Echolls Lester. Veronica flipped to the back to look for the Author's bio only there wasn't one. She looked at the publisher, Gant Publishing. She laughed in spite of herself. She opened the book back to the dedication page. For Bobcat.

"Oh Logan" she whispered as fresh tears hit the page.

There was just enough time on the flight for Veronica to order herself a whiskey and try to pull herself together before landing. As soon as she was off the plane she was in the book store buying the second Betty March book. She wanted nothing more than to just sit on the floor right there in front of God and everyone and read what else he had written but she knew there would probably be more water works and she didn't want to scare the tourists. So she placed the book in her bag and went to claim her luggage.

She had to pull the books out of her bag at the rental car counter and the worker just smiled and said "Aren't those books good. I couldn't put them down. I really hope the next one comes out soon."

"Um. Yeah they are definitely eye-opening. Say do you know anything about the author?" Veronica tried to be a casual as she could.

"Lester is some sort of recluse. No press, no pictures, only answers written questions. You know stuff he couldn't get away with if he wrote crap stories."

She shook her head. "Of course."

"But I do think it's cool, he apparently donates all his proceeds to a few different charities mostly ones that help abuse victims." The rental car worked added.

Veronica flinched. She wasn't surprised. But she quickly finished her paper work and grabbed the car keys before the tears started falling again. She turned on the car and sat for a moment. As she pulled out of the car lot she sighed, good thing she was spending tonight at a hotel and not her Dad's. Originally it was so she could be well rested for her first day at the LA office, now it was so she could left alone give her full attention to the book currently burning a hole in her bag.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

She checked into the hotel and as soon as the door closed she pulled out her phone and sent texts to Piz, Mac and Wallace. She had arrived safely but wasn't feeling well so she was turning off her phone to rest and she promised to get back in touch with them Monday. Such behavior wouldn't fly with Keith Mars. He picked up on the 2nd ring.

"Veronica, honey. I felt a disturbance in the force. Are we again in the same time zone?"

Veronica laughed, "Yes. We are."

"So when do I get to see you o daughter of mine?"

"Well hopefully tomorrow."

"Not tonight?"

"No. I had a rough flight so I just need to lie low tonight. Gotta impress the bosses tomorrow." A half-truth was the same as the truth right? She was a lawyer now, isn't that how they work she thought to herself.

"Alright honey." She could hear is disappointment but he didn't push.

"Hey, Dad?"

"Yes, Dear?"

"Have you read these Betty March novels everyone is raving about?"

"I have. How about you?"

"I read the first one on the flight here. What do you think about them?"

"I think you and Logan Echolls have a lot to talk about."

"Yea" was all she could get out, as her throat started to tighten and she could feel the tears creeping back into her eyes.

"Hey. It's ok Veronica. Finish reading the books. Then take a shower and put it away and focus on getting your dream job at your dream company. You can deal with the Betty March stuff later. I love ya kid."

"I love you too. Thanks Dad."

Veronica changed into her pajamas not caring that it wasn't even 4 on a Sunday afternoon in LA. She drew the curtains and crawled into the huge king size bed and opened the 2nd Betty March Mystery, this one called In the Face of Evil. She turned to the dedication page.

_**For Bobcat, always.**_

The 2nd Betty March book ended with Betty running away after the Mob threatened to kill Rick if she stayed, and Rick showing up at her empty house with an engagement ring.

Veronica Mars was not a crier. She did her best to hide her emotions behind of wall of intelligent wit and overconfidence. But it seemed like she had spent the better part of the last 12 hours crying. When Logan had beaten Gory in the cafeteria at the end of their first year at Hearst and Gory and by extension the Chicago Mob threaten to kill Logan she knew she had to leave. She knew it was a coward move, something her Mom would do. But if Logan was going to live, if Veronica was going to live they needed to be apart, detox from each other. Logan was right, she had to change, so she left. It was not easy, but as time went on she was able to harden her heart and play at being normal. Selfishly Veronica had assumed Logan had done the same.

But these books, this was their story, their love the good the bad and ugly for all the world to see. She understood why people thought this was great fiction, because if she hadn't lived it she would never believe so many horrible things could happen to two people. And Logan. He tried so many times to make her see just what she meant to him and how much he loved her and finally through Betty and Rick she got it.

She had been cruel, and mean, and unable to change or trust and thought she was doing the right things for the right reasons. And here she sat in the shower as the water cascaded down, hiding the tears still flowing from her eyes. Veronica Mars had been wrong. She had been wrong for almost 10 full years. This ache in her heart just proved the only person she had hurt more than herself was the one man who loved her as much as she loved him.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

She was exhausted. Veronica had only slept 4 hours and most of that was spent in fit full dreams and nightmares replaying the highs and lows of her life with Logan. This was not the way Veronica wanted to start this extend interview, trial run or whatever the hell the nice people of Curtis, Levin and Martin thought this was. This was the dream job, she kept telling herself. Put the Betty March stuff away, you've been putting it away for the past 9 years, what's a few more hours?

Veronica walked into the office tower that was home to the LA office of CLM, she looked around at the other worker drones milling about, avoiding the elevator ride to their desk jobs and tame existence . Shaking her head and laughing to herself, Veronica thought they looked exactly like the people in New York, only here they were tanner and used the word Dude more. She piled into the elevator with about 8 other people and began the ride up to the 32nd floor. After what seemed an eternity it was only Veronica and older woman who looked Veronica over and smiled. At the 30th floor the doors opened and as the woman stepped off the elevator Veronica let out a small squeak.

Gant Publishing in huge letters on the wall. What were the odds? The woman turned to Veronica and smiled a sweet knowing smile, "Yes, Gant Publishing, home to some of the best books in the world including Betty March. Are you a fan?"

"Something like that." Veronica replied as the gears in her head started turning. "Have a nice day."

"You too dear." The woman responded as the elevator doors shut.

Veronica had less than a floor to compose herself. Get it together Mars, she told herself. You've got this in the bag. As the doors opened to the 32nd floor and the offices of CLM Veronica took a deep breath ready to face the next two weeks that would decide her future.

"Veronica Mars?" A gentleman in his mid-fifties walked up hand extended.

"Yes. Yes I am." Veronica met his firm handshake with a smile.

"Don Shepherd." The man responded. "You'll be starting with me. Hope you are excited to see the entertainment side of CLM."

"Of course."

"Well right this way, I'd like to get you up to speed before our lunch meeting with our client."

The next few hours were a bit of a blur. Veronica had her nose buried in files going over the contracts and business dealings of the rock band know as Bishop. Bishop was one of the hottest bands around thanks in part to the super cute and legitimately talented lead singer Carol Bishop. Carol Bishop? Veronica had never really thought about it before but now with the paper work in front of her, she started flipping through the pages. Carrie Bishop. There it was in black and white. Carrie was the business manager for the band and Carol's older sister. "Well lunch is totally going to suck." Veronica laughed to herself.

After she had finished with the Bishop files, Veronica had a full half hour before she was meeting Don for the lunch meeting. So Veronica allowed her mind to wander. Gant Publishing, home of the Betty March novels and their mysterious recluse of an author. Veronica could just wait till the reunion this weekend to seek Logan out, but there was too much that needed to be said, to much that needed to be done, she didn't want an audience, especially those people. No she needed to smoke him out sooner.

Veronica got up and closed the door to the small office that was hers for the next 2 weeks, she returned to her desk and picked up the phone and hit 0. "Yes, Miss Mars?" The operator responded.

"Hi. Yes I need to speak with the receptionist at Gant Publishing."

"Oh. Sarah? Don't worry. I'll connect you immediately."

"Thank you."

"Gant Publishing, this is Sarah how may I help you today?"

"Yes, I'm calling from Curtis, Levin and Martin and I need to speak with whoever handles the author Mr. Lester." Veronica tried her best to sound grown up and professional and hoped it was working.

"One moment please."

Veronica was trying not to get lost in the muzak that was playing over the phone; she was trying to come up with a line of questions that would lead her to her target.

"Logan Echolls, how may I help you?"

It was a voice that set her insides on fire. She had forgotten how to breathe, how to speak. She opened her mouth but no words came out.

"Hello?" the voice continued "Have I lost you?"

No Logan you haven't lost me, she wanted to purr. But that would require her to form a comprehensive sentence and that was not happening any time soon. She was finally able to let out a heavy breath. She heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line.

"Veronica?" it was a plea more than a question.

Veronica slammed down the phone and quickly backed away like it was some kind of venous snake about to strike.

2 floors down Logan Echolls sat like a man in a trance. The phone was still to his ear and dial tone blaring in his head. She knew. She read them. She found him. A grin started to play at the sides of his mouth. She found him.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Veronica was standing in the corner of her tiny little office with her head against the wall trying to put everything together. L.E. Lester was the author of 2 Betty March books. Betty March was Veronica Mars. Gant Publishing was Lester's publisher. Lester was a recluse who donated his profits to charity. Logan Echolls was Lester's "handler" at Gant because Logan was Lester. She smiled at the genius of it. Veronica was so deep in thought she didn't even hear the door open.

"Did someone put you in time out?" Don asked.

Veronica jumped and spun around. "Oh no, sorry, I guess I got lost in my thoughts, you know making sure I remember what all those big legal words mean."

Don smiled, "Well it's time to go legal eagle."

"So what is the deal with this lunch?" Veronica asked as she and Don walked down the hall.

"Carol has been pretty tight lipped about it. But she was clear that she wanted to meet here, oh, her boyfriend should be joining us. She said something about moral support."

"Cause nothing says moral support like a wannabe back up dancer." Veronica quipped.

Don laughed "I wish he was that dumb."

Veronica braced herself to come face to face with Carrie Bishop and what she assumed would be a younger but just as evil and mean version of Carrie. She was surprised when the she walked into the conference room to find a pretty petite blonde dressed simply in jeans, white t-shirt, black blazer and flats sitting quietly by herself. Carol stood quickly when the door opened and rushed to Don and Veronica.

"Oh Don, I'm so happy to see you."

"Carol, always a pleasure." Don continued "This is Veronica Mars in from New York to learn our wicked ways here in LA."

Carol scrunched up her face "Veronica Mars? I know that name, I swear I do."

Veronica smiled; maybe this girl wasn't like her sister at all. "I went to Neptune with your sister Carrie." Veronica volunteered.

Carol's face relaxed in recognition. "What a small world."

The door of the conference room swung open and a whirl of slacks and white dress shirt came busting in and straight to Carol "Hey, babe." He said kissing her on the cheek ignoring the other two people in the room, "Sorry I'm running late I got caught up in stuff. Why is it a small world?"

"Because we are starting your reunion early." Carol motioned to Veronica.

Logan Echolls turned and faced Veronica Mars. Neither spoke, afraid it was a dream, afraid that if they said something it would all just disappear again. They probably could have stayed there looking at each other trying to compare the memory to the actual person but this was not the time or the place. Veronica blinked first.

"Logan Echolls how nice to see you." She said not extending her hand because she knew if she touched him she probably wouldn't be able to let go.

"Veronica Mars, nice to see you getting paid to give someone the 3rd degree." He smirked. "Don, you old so and so, how are things?" Logan turned his attention to other lawyer and shook his hand.

"Logan, always good to see you. How is the book business?" Don asked.

"Wordy." Logan replied. "But we aren't here about me, this is about Carol."

They all sat at the long table Don and Veronica on one side, Carol and Logan on the other. Veronica did her best to focus on Carol; she was the client; and apparently Logan's girlfriend. She was trying hard not to let that last part cloud her judgment of the girl who by all accounts seems to be level headed, polite and even sweet. But that didn't mean Veronica was not imaging the sound Carol's body would make if she threw her out the conference room windows.

Carol took a deep breath and began "I need to know how to go about firing Carrie and taking her off all legal documents and keeping her from any decision making regarding Bishop."

Veronica wondered if it would be rude to jump on the table and do a victory dance.

Don looked like he had been slapped." Why on earth would you want to do anything like that to Carrie? She is your business manager and your sister?"

"Yes. But there is money missing and the decisions she has made recently have been great for her but disastrous for the band. I have to protect them and myself." Carol said quietly with tears in her eyes. She looked at Logan and he instinctively took her hand afraid to look in Veronica's direction.

"Traitor!" Carrie Bishop screamed as she opened the conference room door. "You are an ungrateful two-bit hack who would be nothing, I mean NOTHING without me."

Carol pulled herself into her chair and looked like a scared child as Carrie came storming towards her. Logan stood and put himself in between the two Bishops.

"Out of my way Logan." Carrie demanded.

"Now Carrie, why don't you take a breath and say hello to Veronica." Logan grinned as the color drained from Carrie's face as she realized the other blonde in the room wasn't a no name lawyer but one of her least favorite people in the whole world.

"Hi Carrie." Veronica said brightly playing along with Logan, "How are things?"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Logan took Carrie's stunned silence as the perfect time to grab Carol Bishop and lead her towards the door. "Let's try this again once cooler heads prevail." Logan said. "Don. Veronica."

Logan couldn't wait for a response, he had a small rock star about to have a break down and if life with his mother had taught him anything it was that these things were better done in private. Logan was able to get Carol on and off the elevator and into his office on the 30th floor before she finally lost it.

"I hate my sister." Carol cried.

"Welcome to the club. We meet on Wednesdays. There are donuts."

Carol laughed through the tears "Thanks for coming with me. I know things are crazy here."

"Oh you know, Lester has writer's block and Casey is breathing down my neck about getting the next Betty March book out. But hey it's always nice to deal with drama that isn't somehow my fault." Logan grinned as he pulled Carol in for a hug. She was a nice girl who did not deserve that witch Carrie for a sister or a jerk like him for a boyfriend. Logan cared for Carol and it hurt him that she was so sad, but he knew she was a place holder for another small blonde just a few thousand feet away.

What was he going to do? After 8 years and less than 50 words exchanged between Veronica and himself he was ready to cash in all his chips, buy an island, grab Veronica and never look back. But who was that fair to? No one.

Carol buried her face into Logan's chest and took a deep breath and pulled back. "So that was Veronica huh?"

Logan was so lost in his own thoughts and memories it took him a moment to respond, "What?" He was trying to sound surprised, wanting to spare Carol's feelings anymore scars today.

"Please Logan; you talk in your sleep. Besides Carrie's a horrible gossip, always has always will."

"Yes. That was Veronica."

"She is pretty."

"Carol."

"No. Look you have been an incredible boyfriend, but it's not fair for either of us if you are in love with someone else. I shouldn't have to be anyone's consolation prize. I mean really, is our romance something I can write a song about?" Carol smiled as she looked at Logan. She had always heard stories of Veronica Mars from her sister and the whispers when she was at Neptune. Carol even silently dealt with Logan calling Veronica's name in his sleep. But once she saw Veronica in the flesh and saw the way they looked at each other she knew it was time to throw in the towel. And the fact Logan was having a hard time looking her in the eyes proved she was making the right decision.

Carol walked over to Logan and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Take care of yourself tiger."

Logan grabbed her hand as she was walking out the door looking deep into her eyes all Logan could get out was "I'm sorry."

"I know. But now you aren't the jerk who ruined a rock star's heart." And with that Carol Bishop strolled out of the Gant Publishing offices a single lady.

Back upstairs Carrie Bishop finally regained her voice and she was not a happy camper.

"Veronica Mars" she hissed "What are you doing here?"

"Working. You?" Veronica returned.

Carrie Bishop turned glaring at the older man in the room, "Don. What is going on?"

Veronica could have sworn Don flinched. He opened his mouth to speak but Carrie threw up her hand "Not in front of her."

"Why don't we head to my office." Don got up and led Carrie towards the door. He turned and looked apologetically at Veronica. "Why don't you go ahead and call it a day. We will start again fresh tomorrow."

"Sure. See you in the morning." Veronica replied as Don shut the door.

Well that was fun she thought. At least no one set anything on fire.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

This was not how Veronica's first day was supposed to go. She was supposed to dazzle the lawyers of CLM with her quick wit and sharp legal prowess. She was supposed to endear herself to clients and to the staff and have them wondering how they ever survived without her. But when did anything ever go smoothly for Veronica Mars?

She should have been insulted to be dismissed like she was by Don, well Carrie really, but to honest Veronica was grateful for the time to process her encounter with Logan Echolls. Not knowing where Logan was or who he was with, Veronica took the stairs down to the first floor, she wasn't sure she could risk a run-in in a small space like an elevator with Logan just yet. Once she made it to the safety of her car Veronica let out a deep sigh, she needed some reassurance, she need a sense of stability, she needed someone who loved her, she needed her Dad.

Veronica spent the drive to Neptune trying to ignore the voices in her head. Logan had a girlfriend, a pretty and talented girlfriend. A girlfriend who was accustomed to the parties and glad handing Logan had experienced his entire life. Carol and Logan were a good fit. Veronica was Logan's past. Logan was Veronica's past. You, Veronica have a boyfriend. Piz cares for you. You care for Piz; you wouldn't be with him if you didn't right? You live in New York, you are a lawyer. You have made a life without Logan. Logan has obviously made a life without you. Logan has a girlfriend. Logan has a girlfriend. Logan has a girlfriend; that was the sentence playing on a continuous loop in her mind by the time she pulled up outside her Dad's office.

Veronica walked into the office of Mars Investigation and smiled; it was exactly the way she remembered it right down to smell. She traced her fingers along the desk and sat in her old chair, spinning around she called out "Honey I'm home!"

Keith Mars stuck his head out of his office door and smiled at his daughter, "Now what on earth are you doing here?"

"It was an early dismissal day at the office." Veronica replied.

"Ah, a vague and slightly unnerving response. It's like you've never left. Now come give your Daddy some sugar." Keith Mars opened his arms and Veronica leapt into her father's embrace.

"I miss you Dad." She whispered.

"I know you do honey, I miss you too."

The Mars reunion was interrupted by a brunette in heavy eye makeup and loud leopard print dress, "Hey Keith I have lunch and some gossip to go with it. Oh I'm sorry am I interrupting?"

"Oh, no Ruby." Keith said. "This is the long lost Veronica Mars, home to visit her Poppa and raise a little hell in her old stomping grounds while she can."

"Veronica!" Ruby exclaimed as she walked up and wrapped her arms around a thoroughly confused Veronica.

Veronica in turn looked at her father and gave him one of her signature "what the what" looks. Keith responded with a laugh as he pulled the two girls apart, explaining "Veronica, meet Ruby Jetson my receptionist and assistant extraordinaire."

"Nice to finally have a face to go with the name." Veronica said as she took in her replacement in her dad's business.

"You know we went to Neptune together too. I wasn't nearly as well-known as you, I mean come on Veronica Mars was a name that could strike fear in evil doers and hope in the innocent. You name it and Veronica could solve it. We finally had some classes together at the beginning of our senior year but then I spent most of my senior year at home, wicked case of mono." Ruby was talking a mile a minute.

It was all Veronica could to smile and nod.

"Ruby." Keith interrupted. "Lunch and gossip please."

"Right. Sorry." Ruby grabbed the bag she had brought in and pulled out several sandwiches and chips and laid them out on the table in front of the couch in the lobby. "Good thing I got extras." She said smiling at Veronica.

Veronica was glad to see the food especially since her lunch meeting ended without an actual lunch. Once everyone was settled Ruby started in on her story "So I ran into Inga getting lunch and she was saying that Sherriff Lamb had discovered a new level of douche baggery, well she said difficulty but I like my word better. So I asked if he had changed hair gels or something to get him all riled up and she said no that they had found another body!"

Keith put down his bag of chips. "Just like the other two?" he asked.

"Yep. Lamb is trying to keep everything hush hush, but apparently it similar enough to a body found in San Diego and they are sending a detective down to compare notes."

Veronica raised her hand "Question. What the hell are you guys talking about?"

Ruby responded, "Some whack job has been going around and tying up and killing young blonde prostitutes, cutting out their tongues and leaving the bodies to wash up on the beach. Oh and whoever it is also carves a big letter L on the chest above the heart. Twisted right?"

Veronica looked in shock to her dad who nodded in agreement adding "Three bodies in Neptune and apparently San Diego makes four."

Veronica shivered. "Some people really need more socially acceptable hobbies."

Ruby laughed. "So Veronica, are you looking forward to the reunion this weekend?"

Veronica wanted to go back to talking about serial killers, root canals, a million other things than the reunion, but she just shrugged and said "Yep. Should be a real blast."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

After lunch Veronica excused herself and headed to her Dad's new place to relax and wait for him to wrap things up at the office. About a year or two after Veronica had left town her Dad had saved enough to buy a cute three bedroom cottage near the beach. Veronica thought he had done it in a bid to win Wallace's mom back but when that relationship fizzled Keith stayed and made it his home, and she was glad he did. Veronica was lying on the bed in her room, well the guest room when Keith finally got home a few hours later.

"Veronica, honey where are you?"

"Right here." She said as she came bounding into the living room and into her Dad's arms.

"Alright. Now tell me, what happened today at the firm?"

Veronica gave her father the short version of the Bishop sisters and Don sending her home. She ended with "And Logan was there, he is Carol Bishop's boyfriend."

Keith Mars sighed, "I'm sorry you had to find out that way."

Veronica looked at her father "Wait, how did you, no, what do you know?"

"Honey, you know I really can't talk about clients with –"

Veronica cut him off "Clients! Dad what is going on? How do you know about Carol? How do you know about Logan? And why do you know about Betty March?" She was yelling by the end.

"Veronica."

"Dad."

"Alright." Keith exhaled in defeat as he started rubbing his forehead. "Logan came to me before the first book was published and asked for my help. "

"With what?"

"Making L.E. Lester a real person. Well a real person who could not be found. He had me read the book and let me tell you, not really how I wanted the holes in the story of your youth filled in young lady. But I saw it was a great book and I saw a different Logan from the one you dated so I agreed."

Veronica nodded. "So who all knows?"

"The truth about Lester? Logan, Cliff, myself and now you. Others might have put it together but they haven't said anything to Logan about it."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You were making a new life for yourself and we, I mean he didn't want to ruin that for you."

"Right, so finding out at thirty thousand feet surrounded by strangers was the best way for this to happen?" Veronica was yelling, she knew she shouldn't be yelling at her Dad; but once again the men in her life were making decisions for her and she hated that.

"He was going to tell you this weekend."

"How do you know that?"

"Because it's what we agreed on last week."

"Last week? How often are you talking to Logan?"

"We touch base every other week, more when people want to talk to Lester about the Betty March books."

Veronica sat on the couch her head in her hands rocking slightly as she processed this new information. Keith walked over to his daughter and sat next to her placing is arm around her. She looked at her dad fresh tears in her eyes. "Why didn't he tell me?"

"He was trying to spare you more pain I think. And honey not to rub salt in the wound, you did tell him he was out of your life and then you left town, what did you except him to do?"

"I don't know."

"What do you want him to do now?"

Veronica silently looked at her Dad, afraid of what her answer might be, and even more afraid she would mean it.

Keith Mars rose and kissed his daughter on the top of her head. "I love you kiddo and I can't tell you how to live your life, but at least listen to your old man. There is a reason Logan Echolls wrote those stories and there is a reason people all over the world are reading them. You two owe it to each other to finally sit down and talk and more importantly listen to what the other one has to say."

Veronica hated when her dad was right.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Hey Bond. I have an extra ticket to a party Wednesday night with your name on it, are you in?" Cindy Mackenzie was happy to have Veronica back in California even if it was just for a few days. "Come on, my company is launching a new online gaming site and it should be an amazing party, big name stars, great food, great music, Wallace is coming too, did I mention the free booze?"

"Now,now Q; you had me at free booze." Veronica laughed, after the last 24hours of drama it felt good to laugh.

"Awesome. I'll come pick you up from the hotel around eight."

"Sure sounds good to me."

"Sweet. I'll see you soon. I have to go over a few last minute details with the party planner. I'll text you later."

Veronica hung up and looked out over the LA skyline from her hotel room window. It was pretty with the setting sun casting a red glow across the buildings. Maybe coming back to California wouldn't be too bad. Her dad was here, Mac and Wallace were here. Logan and his girlfriend were here.

"Ugh." She groaned out loud as she threw herself on the bed. Why was she doing this to herself? Focus on the bad she thought. Remember Gory, the smashed head lights, the taunting and bullying, the disappointments, the trust issues. He has turned your relationship into a series of books for the world to read and published two of them without so much as a heads up. Logan was a jerk.

Veronica was interrupted by her phone ringing. "Hey Piz, how are you?"

"Missing you." Piz answered honestly. "How are you? I haven't heard from you since you got in, is everything ok? How was your first day?"

"Fine." Veronica lied. She was in no mood to rehash the details of her day one more time, or to have a Logan discussion with Piz. "Lots of hand shaking and file reading, nothing exciting to talk about."

"Oh. I'm sorry it wasn't more thrilling. Have you seen anyone yet?"

"Saw my dad already and Mac is taking Wallace and me to a party on Wednesday. But how have you been occupying your time without me?"

"Work and Betty March." Piz replied.

"So what is it you like about those books?" Was Piz just a normal run of the mill fan or did he see the connections between Betty March and Veronica Mars?

"Everything. The suspense of the who-done-it, the romance of Rick and Betty. I mean talk about two flawed people who on the surface are complete opposites and should not be together, but underneath they are both so damaged and scarred how could they not be soul mates? They both try to have relationships with other people but they fail because they are just drawn to each other, the verbal sparring, the physical sparring in the bedroom, you can feel the heat coming off the pages. I think it's the kind of passion people wish could exist in real life, you know what I mean?"

"What, so you think that kind of passion doesn't exist in real life?"

"Lord I hope not. How could anyone survive that? I think it would consume you or drive you mad or both. How could you function like a normal adult with a real job and a real life if you needed or wanted someone that much?"

"I don't." Veronica said lost in her own thoughts.

"What?" Piz was puzzled by Veronica's odd response.

Veronica tried to recover from her unintentional confession. "Uh, I mean you are right, that could never happen in real life, it would ruin the people involved. Hell, Betty ran away so it probably doesn't even work out for them in the books."

"Wait how do you know Betty ran away? Oh my goodness Veronica did you read the books?" Piz was beyond excited.

"I did."

"Aren't they the greatest? I swear I want to track down L.E. Lester and shake his hand. I am so happy you read them, I can't wait to sit down and talk about them with you."

This conversation was quickly veering into a Logan discussion without Piz even realizing it. "Maybe later babe, I actually have a few case files I need to go through for work tomorrow." Veronica was lying through her teeth, but she didn't have the heart or the strength to potentially ruin their relationship and Piz's favorite books in one fell swoop.

"Oh no, I get it. Call me tomorrow."

"I will."

"Hey. I miss you."

"I miss you too." Veronica hung up the phone and watched the last moments of the sunset over LA. Piz's thoughts about Betty and Rick, well Veronica and Logan played through her mind. He thought they were soul mates and Veronica was wondering if Piz might actually be right.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The next morning Veronica arrived at the offices of CLM and was greeted by a woman just a few years older than herself. "Hi Veronica I'm Rebecca Knott, you'll be working with me today."

"Oh, is Mr. Shepherd ok?"

"He called in sick" Rebecca used air quotes and her tone told Veronica that this happened quite a bit.

Veronica thought it best not to pry and followed Rebecca into her office and spent the rest of the day neck deep in cases dealing with patent infringement. It was not very exciting but at least her past wasn't going to come running through the door and smack her upside the head again. Veronica was grateful when Rebecca Knott decided to call it day by 4pm. When the elevator doors opened on the 30th floor and Gant Publishing Veronica took it as a sign and stepped out in to the lobby, not sure what she was going to say or what she was going to do, she just knew she needed to try.

"Good Afternoon and welcome to Gant Publishing. How may I help you?" It was the older woman from the elevator ride Monday morning.

Veronica smiled hoping the woman might remember her and help her out. "Yes, I'm actually looking for Mr. Echolls."

"Did you have an appointment?" the woman asked as she started flipping through the appointment book on her desk. "I swore I called everyone."

"Oh, no. Actually I went to school with Mr. Echolls and Mr. Gant and I'm new in the building and I thought I might just stop by and say hello."

The receptionist smiled at Veronica. "Hello school friend of Logan and Casey's. I'm Sarah."

"Hi Sarah. I'm Veronica."

"Well Veronica I'm sorry to say Mr. Echolls is out of the office for the next few days."

Veronica tried to hide the disappointment. "Oh, I hope everything is ok."

Sarah leaned forward and dropped her voice to a whisper "He said it was deal with L.E. Lester, you know the writer of the Betty March books. Apparently Lester is dealing with a bad case of writer's block. But if you ask me Mr. Echolls is taking some time to nurse his broken heart."

Veronica's eye grew wide as she matched Sarah's lean and whisper. "Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean yesterday that little pop tart of a girlfriend of his broke up with him and walked out of here not like she had just ended a ten month relationship but like she had picked up her dry cleaning. Poor Logan looked shell shocked when he came out of his office. Then he said he had to take care of things and that I should clear his schedule for the rest of the week."

Veronica was having a hard time hearing because her heart was pounding in her ears. "Are you sure?"

"Dear, I am the eyes and ears of this place, nothing gets by me." Sarah sat up with a smile. "Do you want to leave a message for Mr. Echolls when he checks in?"

Veronica thought for a moment, "You know what, it's no big deal, I'm sure I'll see him at the reunion this weekend. Thank you for your time Sarah."

"Glad to help."

Veronica held her breath until the elevator doors closed and she was alone. As she exhaled she smiled "Logan doesn't have a girlfriend." The words rolled off her tongue and she couldn't help but start a small victory dance in the elevator. "Logan doesn't have a girlfriend." She would have skipped to her car, but she was an adult and she didn't want to scare the locals.

Back in Neptune, Logan Echolls had not slept in 24 hours and that was ok because he was writing. It was true he had writer's block, he had been stuck half way through the 3rd Betty March book for months, unsure of where to go. Logan was frustrated but the popularity of the books meant Casey was breathing down his neck to get his "writer" Lester working. But everything changed yesterday with just a simple phone call.

Logan had been sitting at his desk trying to come up with ways to keep Carol calm during her meeting with Don Shepherd at CLM when his phone rang. He answered and thought nothing of the silence until he heard that exhale, the one seared into his memory and the phone slam as he said her name proved he was right. Then he saw her in that conference room, she was different but so much the same that he physically ached being so close to her. But that was the jolt to his system that he needed. And once Carol released him from their relationship it was like the dam busted.

Logan cleared his schedule and drove home to his beach house and his hidden office where he kept his computer with the Betty March stories and started writing. Everything he was feeling, the excitement, the fear, the betrayal, the hope, and all the other things that came with Veronica Mars started pouring out onto the page.

Logan rubbed his eyes as he stood and stretched. He walked over to the window and looked out over the ocean. He still had a ways to go before he was finished with the book, but he was happy with the progress his was making and he finally felt like he had some direction. The exhaustion was starting to get to him so he decided to get some sleep. He knew he needed to talk to Veronica and soon. Lord knew where her head was right now. Logan laid on his bed and closed his eyes and smiled. He was back, because she was back.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

With the threat of a run in with Logan out the window, Veronica focused on her time at Curtis, Levin and Martin. But once Wednesday night rolled around Veronica was ready to blow off some steam and spend some time with her closest friends.

Wallace Fennel played professional basketball in Europe for two years when a torn ACL sent him back to the states and graduate school. Now he was finishing his PhD in mechanical engineering, working for a NASA contractor and dating a beautiful fellow PhD candidate named Abby, the fact that she was also a Laker Girl was just icing on the cake.

Mac threw herself into her computers and website design when Veronica left Hearst and within 18 months Mac made her first million. She free-lanced for a while never really putting down roots at one company. Mac finally decided she was ready to be her own boss and she started Mackenzie Multimedia. They had several online game sites and other projects that afforded Mac the lifestyle she should have grown up in. But now Mac was happy to take care of her parents and little brother and do something she loved.

"I do believe my eyes deceive me, is that the Veronica Mars?" Mac was standing outside of a limo in front of the hotel.

"Hardy-Har-Har. It is good to see you Mac." The friends embraced and swayed from side to side for a bit lost in the moment of girlish behavior. "A limo, aren't we being fancy tonight." Veronica said stepping out of the hug.

"Yeah, well it's good to the boss; did I mention the free booze?"

"On more than one occasion." Veronica laughed as the ladies settled into the limo for the short ride to the party.

"Anything I need to know before we arrived?" Veronica asked.

"Well" Mac took a deep breath "You might see some familiar faces. Of course Wallace is meeting us there; but you need to know Logan is one of the investors in my company and he is on the guest list and he has a girlfriend." Mac braced for the backlash.

"Had." Veronica said meekly.

"What?"

"Logan had a girlfriend. They broke up Monday."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I might have seen Logan already."

"What! Veronica why didn't you say anything? What happened? Oh Veronica what did you do to him?"

"Me! Nothing." Veronica did not like Mac's tone. "I sat in on a meeting at the law firm and Logan was there with his girlfriend. I found out later that after the meeting she broke up with him."

Mac raised an eyebrow and gave Veronica a look. "She broke up with him after seeing the two of you in a room together. Convenient don't you think?"

"I don't know what happened. We barely spoke to each other in the meeting."

"And what did you say to each other? Were the words "Let's run away together", "I miss you" or "I still love you" used?"

"Mac." Veronica was not happy with where the conversation was heading, she just wanted to go to a party not the Spanish Inquisition.

"I'm sorry. I know it's been a long time but when the two of you are together it's like common sense gets thrown out the window and we worry about the pair of you."

"We?" Veronica turned her head to the side as Mac's eyes grew wide as she realized her word choice.

"You know, your friends." Mac replied quickly looking away. This was about Veronica not her.

"Mac it's ok. Logan and I can be in the same room and the world not end. Besides I'm with Piz." Veronica felt like I'm with Piz was becoming her mantra. "Don't worry this will be a great party and the free booze with help make sure I'm well behaved."

Mac relaxed and smiled at her friend, "I know. I am glad you are here Bond."

"Me too Q, me too."

When they arrived at the club Veronica slipped around the red carpet while Mac did some interviews and posed with the VIP guests for pictures. Veronica was unsure of what to expect when she walked in to the party but she surprised by how elegant but edgy and modern the room looked.

"I did an amazing job if I do say so myself." Veronica spun around and was shocked to be face to face with Dick Casablancas. "I actually owe this in part to you."

"What are you talking about Dick?" Veronica was confused seeing Dick put together and sober at a party.

"Well once you bailed without so much as a "thanks that was fun" you left a lot of people needing cheering up. So I started throwing parties and after the "Ding Dong the Bitch is Gone" shindig I realized I was actually good at this and Casablancas Concepts and Creations was born. Now I'm the most in demand party designer on the west coast, so you see Veronica some good did come from you running away."

"You are welcome, I guess." Veronica said through gritted teeth.

"Just remember when you decide to run that there are people here stuck picking up the pieces, so try not to break him again." Dick turned and walked away giving orders into a walkie talkie as Veronica stood speechless, had Dick Casablancas really just put her in her place?


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Girl, you look like you could use a drink." Wallace said as he walked up to his best friend.

"Wallace!" Veronica exclaimed as she threw herself into his arms glad to have an ally in a room of strangers. "A drink sounds great."

The two made it to the bar and then into the Reserved section to wait on Mac. "I'm sorry Abby couldn't make it tonight, she is really looking forward to meeting you." Wallace said once they were settled on a long leather couch.

"Me too. This party is something else, hard to believe Dick put it together."

"Oh, Mac told you?"

"No, Richard did. Hey Wallace, why did you never tell me that amazing Wizard of Oz themed party you kept raving about after I left was about me?"

Wallace spit out his drink as he tried to come up with the right way to explain himself to a woman who probably still had a taser in her purse. "Well, um, you see, um, the truth is I was pissed you were gone but I understood while you needed to go, but it didn't mean it was easy for me to deal with. That party was the first real good time I had after you left. I think it was the first fun most of us had after you left and you needed to know that we could have fun without you; you just didn't need to know that it might have been at your expense."

"What expense?" Mac asked as she plopped down on the couch next to them.

"Ding Dong the Bitch is Gone." Veronica stated.

"Oh that. So you saw Dick. I told him to keep his stupid mouth shut." Mac said shaking her head.

"Yeah Mac, anything else you need to tell me about that?"

Mac cheeks went slightly pink, "No. Oh god no. Dick throws a great party and we have reached a comfortable and kinda functional friendship."

Veronica looked her friend up and down "If you say so."

"And that is my cue to go get another round of drinks." Wallace said laughing as he got and moved back towards the bar.

Veronica was ready to grill Mac some more when a young intern came and grabbed Mac for another round of interviews leaving Veronica alone to take in the party and contemplate the life her friends had made without her. She closed her eyes and took a moment to herself when she felt someone sit on the couch next to her; she opened her eyes and turned to face Logan Echolls.

Their eyes locked and time stopped, they were the only two living souls in the world and that was all that mattered. Veronica felt like she was naked and Logan could see into every dark corner of her soul, it scared her but also made her pulse quicken.

"Hello stranger." He finally said with a smile on his face.

"Hello." She rasped.

They scooted closer to each other, still not touching just staring, it was an intense game of emotional chicken and neither wanted to be the first to break. His hand lightly grazed hers and it set her skin on fire, the heat shot up her arm, through her body and came to rest in her stomach. Their fingers slowly started to dance over each other and intertwine as they never broke eye contact.

"There are some things we should talk about." Veronica said once she found her voice.

"Agreed. But not here." He replied as the storm clouds gathered in his eyes.

Veronica could feel herself starting to lose control, she wanted nothing more than to lean in and kiss him but that would go against all common sense and decency so she closed her eyes, "I'm with Piz."

Logan let go of her hand and straightened up. "Oh, good for you." He didn't even try to hide the disappointment in his voice. "How long?"

She couldn't look him in the eye it hurt her so much "About 6 weeks."

"Oh." Veronica finally looked at him noticing the relief in his response.

"What about Carol Bishop?"

Logan grinned "That is over. Apparently she wanted a romance she could write songs about."

Veronica blushed and started laughing then Logan joined her. They were still laughing when Wallace made his way back to them. "Everything ok over here?"

""Hey Wallace."

"Logan, it's good to see you. Is Carol here?"

"Actually I was just telling Veronica that I am a newly single man." Logan said.

Wallace's eyes grew wide as he looked at Logan and Veronica and processed this new information. He quickly placed himself on the couch between the two and asked a little too loudly "Veronica when does Piz get into town?"

Logan laughed; Wallace was always loyal to his friends. "Well guys I should get going, Veronica can I see your phone?"

Veronica didn't even hesitate; she handed it over and watched intently as Logan typed on her phone. He handed it back to her. "There, now you have my number and I have yours. Let me know when you have time for a proper game of catch up." When he placed the phone back in her hand their fingers lingered. "Wallace, man I'll see you at the reunion this weekend right?"

"Of course." Wallace was eyeing the situation carefully.

Logan turned to leave, Veronica stood and called out "Logan!" He turned and cocked his head to the side. She struggled to find the right words, "It was really good to see you."

He smiled at her "You too Veronica Mars." And then he turned and left.

Veronica stood and watched him disappear into the crowd trying to ignore the growing sadness in her body. When she finally sat down Wallace shook his head "Hey you know that saying about playing with fire?"

"Shut up Wallace."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

To say Veronica was distracted would be an understatement, she was a mess. She had been checking her phone all day hoping for a call or text from Logan. When she wasn't looking at her phone her eyes were closed as she rubbed her fingers against each other indulging in the phantom sensation of Logan's hand in hers. Veronica did not even notice that Rebecca Knott was standing in the doorway watching her with a quizzical look on her face. "Earth to Mars, are you with us today? Earth to Mars, ha that's funny." Rebecca giggled to herself.

Veronica sat up and tried to look busy "Sorry. Anything you need me to be working on?"

"Actually Martin just got here and wants to see you in her office."

"Oh. Any idea how come?" Why was one of the managing partners in town and why on earth would she want to see Veronica?

"No clue. But it's best not to keep her waiting." Rebecca said as she gave Veronica a smile and walked down the hall to her own office.

Veronica stood and did a mental check of everything she had done so far in the LA office of Curtis, Levine and Martin. She grabbed her jacket and gave her make up a quick once over using her compact's mirror and headed to see the big boss.

Lisa Martin was sitting at her desk but her chair was turned as the woman looked out over the LA skyline. "You wanted to see me ma'am." Veronica said as she knocked.

"Miss Mars, please come in and have a seat." Martin swiveled around but did not stand as Veronica made her way to one of the chairs on the other side of the desk. "Do you know why you are here?"

"I believe the words trial and run were used back in New York."

Martin smiled; Veronica was snarky without being rude. "No I mean why I needed to talk to you."

"Oh, no ma'am I'm afraid not."

"It's about Carol Bishop." Martin stated as Veronica tensed, she wondered what fresh hell Carrie had created for Veronica using Carol as bait.

"What about Miss Bishop?"

"She was discovered dead last night."

Veronica gasped as her hands flew to her mouth. It was terrible news but of course Veronica's first thoughts were not about the young pop star but about Logan. "When? How?"

"It appears she was murdered sometime late Monday night, early Tuesday morning. She was found at the bottom of the stairs at her parents' home with a gunshot wound to the chest."

Veronica just nodded taking in the information wondering why she needed to be privy these details.

"Based on preliminary time lines it appears that you were one of the last people to see her alive. Is there any information you care to share about the meeting you were in Monday?"

"It did not last very long. Carrie Bishop ended it just as it was getting started. But Carol Bishop seemed keen on cutting her sister out of the band's business decisions." Veronica was trying to replay the meeting in her head but really she only been focused on one thing, well person at that meeting and it wasn't Carol.

"And Mr. Echolls, what was his demeanor like during the meeting?"

Veronica snapped to attention "What do you mean?"

"Was he angry, frustrated or agitated at the meeting?"

"No. Logan, I mean Mr. Echolls was the model of a caring boyfriend and took Carol out of the room when Carrie barged in like a madwoman."

Lisa Martin studied the petite blonde in front of her for a moment. "The Balboa Sheriff's Department is going to need you to go in and give a statement in the next 24 hours. And I know I don't need to remind you that it is our job to protect our clients."

"Carol Bishop is dead."

"But Carrie Bishop is not."

Veronica scoffed.

"Miss Mars, we have been paid good money to look after the interests of both Bishop sisters and we will continue to do just that. And everyone knows that this is not Mr. Echolls first girlfriend to meet an untimely end."

Veronica was seeing red; she wanted to lunge across the desk. If Martin thought Veronica was just going to hand Logan to the Sheriff on a silver platter she had another thing coming.

"I mean really whose stories are people more likely to believe; a grieving sister and two lawyers from a well-respected law firm or some supposed reformed bad boy and his two-bit public defender attorney Stone, no Rock McCormack?"

"Cliff." Veronica hissed.

"Excuse me?"

"His name is Cliff McCormack." Veronica stood. "I will be giving my statement to the Sheriff and I will do everything in my power to make sure Carol's killer is found and brought to justice."

"I'm glad to hear that. Thank you Miss Mars."

"No. Thank you." Veronica's hands were clenched into fists at her sides as she fought every urge to use them on Lisa Martin's smug face. "I will tell the authorities everything I saw and heard and I do mean everything. Because Mrs. Martin you are not pinning this on Logan Echolls because he did not murder Carol Bishop. And if you come after him or anyone else I love; I don't care how big or how well respected your law firm is I will bury you all."

"You have thirty seconds to reconsider your last statement." Lisa Martin rose not use to being openly defied in her own office.

Veronica looked at the older woman and took a deep breath. "This trial run is over." She turned and stormed out of the office.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Veronica was pacing around her hotel room throwing things into her suite case. She was in shock, not that she had basically given the finger to one of the most powerful attorneys in the country, but that in the heat of the moment she used Logan and the word love in the same sentence out loud where someone else could hear.

It took a moment for Veronica to realize her phone was ringing; she picked it up without looking at the screen. "Hello?"

She heard a deep breath that glued her to the spot. "I need your help Veronica."

"I don't really do that anymore." It was the truth she was a lawyer now not a private investigator.

"Please Veronica."

She felt his every emotion in his voice. It was like the meeting with Lisa Martin she didn't have to think twice, she was going on instinct "I'm on my way, where do you need me?"

"Can you meet me at the Sheriff's station?"

"Sure. Do you need me to call Cliff?"

"No, he is driving in from Vegas as we speak. So you know?" The hurt in his voice made Veronica want to wrap him in her arms like she had so many years ago when he accepted the truth about his mom's death.

"I just found out. Logan, don't worry we will find out what happened and we will get through this."

"Thank you Veronica."

"I'll see you soon."

Veronica hung up the phone and finished packing, she checked out of the hotel and drove away from the chance at the life she thought she wanted and started driving towards the one she knew she needed.

Keith Mars was sitting in his office when his phone rang. "Hey Daddy." Veronica chirped.

"Hey Daughter." He returned. "What can I do for you?"

"Have you heard anything about the Carol Bishop case yet?"

Keith shook his head. "You don't waste any time do you honey?"

"Well?"

"I just know vague details, but Logan is a person of interest, probably the main one if Sherriff Lamb thinks it will get him more air time. Why?"

"I'm on my way to the Sheriff's office right now and I wanted to get a better idea of what I am walking into."

"Honey shouldn't you be at Curtis, Levine and Martin getting your dream job?"

"Dad as I was sitting in an office being told to bend the truth to make Logan look like a viable suspect for Carol's death I had a moment of clarity. That is not the kind of lawyer or person I ever want to be. So I am done with them."

"Are you sure? What is going to happen now?"

"Well, I will be staying in your guest room for the next few days, I'm going to prove Logan didn't kill anyone and I'm going to my high school reunion. As for what happens after that, I will burn that bridge when I get there."

"Alright. Let me know what I can do to help. And Veronica?"

"Yeah Dad?"

"Go get 'em tiger."

"I love you Dad."

"I love you too honey." Keith hung up the phone and smiled.

Veronica didn't even bother to stop and drop her stuff off at her dad's house; she went straight to the Sherriff's office and was happy she was still dressed for work so at least she looked the part because on the inside she was nervous that she was going to end up letting Logan down one more time.

"Deputy Sacks." Veronica smiled at the mustached gentleman behind the front desk.

"Veronica Mars. I had a feeling we would be seeing you soon."

"And why is that?"

"Because Logan Echolls is suspected of murder. You really can't have one without the other." The Deputy wasn't trying to mean, he was just stating the obvious. In all his years on the force it just seemed like when one of them was in trouble the other wasn't far behind.

Veronica smiled. "Actually I am part of Mr. Echolls' legal team. May I see my client?"

"You a lawyer? You know I think I knew that, congrats Veronica. Right this way, Logan is in interrogation room 1."

"Thanks Deputy."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Veronica opened the interrogation room door and found Logan sitting with his elbows on the table, his head in his hands and his foot bouncing about a mile a minute. Logan saw her and stood. Veronica quickly made her way over to him and even though all she wanted to do was pull him into a kiss and tell him everything was going to be alright she held out her hand. "Mr. Echolls It is good to see you but I wish it was under better circumstances." As she shook his hand she motioned with her eyes over to the one way glass mirror in the room.

Logan followed her eyes and understood. "Thank you for coming Miss Mars." He pulled out a chair next to his, "Please sit. I have the feeling we may be here awhile."

Veronica and Logan sat down and Veronica turned her body so it was facing his. "Logan I need you to tell what you know. Have they told you anything? Has anyone said why they think you could even remotely be involved?"

"Well let's see, a cute blonde from a rich family who was romantically connected to Mr. Echolls is found dead in a pool of her own blood at her parents' house. Sound familiar to anyone?" The door opened as the older but just as attractive and just as arrogant Sheriff Lamb walked into the room. "Veronica Mars, from the way my dear departed little brother told it, I was expecting to find you with horns and a pitchfork."

Veronica could feel Logan starting to tense next to her, she placed her hand on Logan's shoulder as she stood and offered her free hand to the Sheriff giving him her best "who me?" laugh. "Now Sheriff I was a precocious teen then, now I'm just Veronica Mars, part of Mr. Echolls legal team."

The Sheriff eyed the blond carefully, she may have been gone by the time he got to town but the legend of Veronica Mars lived on. He knew he was going to have to be on his toes with this one. "Sheriff Dan Lamb." He said shaking her hand. "Now let's get down to business."

"Logan what was the nature of your relationship with Carol Bishop?" the law man asked.

"She and I had been dating for almost ten months, but she ended things Monday afternoon."

"Did that upset you?"

"Actually I was relieved."

Veronica was becoming uneasy, she knew she needed to be there for Logan, she just wasn't sure she could handle having to listen to him rehash his past relationship.

"And why was that?" the Sheriff continued, "Where you seeing someone else?"

"What! No!" Logan was starting to come out of his chair. Veronica put her hand on Logan's leg under the table hoping to calm him down. At first he tensed at her touch but then she felt his body relax and let out a deep sigh. "I was relieved because I was going to break up with her but I didn't want to do it right after she had been yelled at by her sister."

"Right, you had attended a meeting with Miss Bishop at Curtis Levin and Martin with her lawyer Don Shepherd and Veronica Mars. Now miss Mars why were you there?"

Veronica looked over to the lawman, "I was there on behalf of CLM as part of a training exercise."

"But you aren't there now?"

"No. we had a difference of opinions and a parting of ways." Logan shot Veronica a look and she just slightly shook her head.

"Interesting. And Veronica, did you see Carrie Bishop yell at the victim?"

"Yes, she barged into the room screaming at her sister and once Carol left the room with Logan, Carrie started to yell at Mr. Shepherd but they went to his office before I could hear what she was upset about. And that was the last time I saw either of the Bishop sisters."

Sheriff Lamb turned his attention back to Logan. "Why did you want to break up with the victim if you weren't cheating on her?"

Logan looked at the lawman deliberately avoiding the pair of blue eyes watching his every move. "Look Carol and I had a great relationship but at the end of the day it more friendship than it was romantic. And I got a reminder of that and it made me realize what was missing; but I was going to stay with Carol out of loyalty till she worked out the mess with her sister. She beat me to the punch and we parted as friends."

Veronica was blushing and she felt horribly guilty about it. She gave Logan's leg a small squeeze and he met her eyes for just a brief moment before he turned his attention back to the Sheriff.

"Where were you during the hours of 10pm Monday night and 4am Tuesday morning?"

Logan sighed. "I was at my beach house in Neptune. Alone."

Veronica was unnerved by the Sheriff's grin at Logan's answer so she piped up "Logan do you have an alarm system or anything in your house that could verify that you were indeed inside your home?"

Logan looked at Veronica and smiled a huge smile, "I do. I set the alarm as soon as I walk in and it logs all door activity in and out of the house."

The grin faded from the Sheriff. "I am going to need the name of you security company."

"With pleasure." Logan responded.

"Well then that concludes out time together. Mr. Echolls thank you for your time, but please stay in the area should we need to ask you any more questions." The Sheriff stood to leave.

"Excuse me, Sheriff Lamb?" Veronica was standing now too "Why Logan? Why not some random act of violence or crazed fan?"

Lamb looked at Veronica "She knew her killer, there were no signs of forced entry and whoever did this turned on the alarm after they left."

Logan and Veronica looked at each other and whispered the same word at the same time. "Carrie."


	18. Chapter 18

"You don't think..."

"Shh. Not here." Veronica said as she grabbed her things led Logan out of the room. The gears in her brain were busy trying to fit everything together that she did not notice the person with their head buried in a file.

There was some yelling and papers flying everywhere. "Oh my goodness, I am so sorry. Leo?" Veronica was trying to pull herself off of the man she just ran into.

"Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls talk about déjà vu ." Leo D'Amato was not surprised in the least to run into Veronica and Logan especially in the Sheriff's Department.

"Leo, how are you? How is your sister? What are you even doing here?" Veronica was genuinely happy to see the former deputy and wanted to know there was at least one person she hadn't screwed up.

"Good. She's great, we got her into a pilot program and she is thriving. I'm actually a police detective in San Diego now, and I'm here helping with a case."

"The blondes on the beach?" Veronica asked.

"Jeeze, Veronica how do you about that?" Veronica just shrugged. "Of course you would know about the dead hookers with missing tongues."

Logan looked like he had just been slapped. "What?"

"The way I heard it, someone has taken to killing prostitutes cutting out there tongues and then throwing the tied up bodies into the ocean to wash up on shore. Oh and they" Veronica was interrupted by Logan.

"Have a large L carved over their hearts?" the color was quickly draining from Logan's face.

"Yeah, how did you know that? We've kept that out of the press." Leo was suddenly interested in Logan's odd response.

Veronica saw how close Logan was to losing it and stepped in "Well, Mr. Detective there are now crime scene photos littering the hall. It's kinda hard not to notice them." Logan's knees were starting to give in and Veronica barely made it to him in time.

"We need to go." Logan whispered.

"Hey Leo, it's been a long day and I need to get Logan out of here before Sheriff Lamb decides to interrogate him again. I'm sorry to hit and run, but maybe we can grab coffee and catch up later?" Veronica was trying to play it cool with a quickly unraveling Logan leaning into her.

"Sure Veronica." Leo shook his head as he watched the two make their way down the hall then turned to clean up another mess left in the wake of Logan and Veronica.

When they made it out of the station Logan ran and threw up in the bushes. Veronica was starting to worry. "Logan what is going on?" she handed him a water bottle and a piece of gum out of her purse.

"We need to get out of here."

"Alright. Do you want me to drive?" Veronica held out her hand for car keys while eyeing the parking lot looking for the nicest or maybe yellowest car.

Logan laughed, "No ma'am. I'll drive." He took her hand and walked her to a beautiful black Porsche convertible and opened the passenger side door for her. Once he was in the car Veronica looked at him. "Logan please tell me what happened back there."

Logan couldn't meet her gaze. "I need to show you something."

"Show away."

Logan put the top down as the sun was setting and the pair made their way out of the parking lot and onto the highway. They made the drive in silence but every once in a while they would steal glances at the other one amazed they were actually in each other's presence. It would have been perfect if it weren't for all the dead bodies.

They arrived at Logan's Neptune Beach house and Veronica had to admit it was breath taking. She didn't know what to expect but this place felt warm and homey unlike the house Logan had grown up in. The wall facing the ocean was mostly floor to ceiling glass and the views were amazing.

When they were younger the Echolls' house was covered with framed movie posters and pictures of Logan's parents with other celebrities. Logan's house had shelf upon shelf of books and the pictures were of Logan with his friends, granted some of them were famous but none of the pictures were poised, they were snap shots of his life.

"This way." Logan called from the stair case. Veronica followed him up the stairs taking in her surroundings. Logan led her to a set of beautiful dark double doors which opened up to the master bedroom.

Veronica hesitated for just a moment "You know I have seen what you usually show women in this room before." She was hoping the snark would cover her sound of her pounding heart.

Logan gave her a half grin "Come on smarty pants it's through here." He proceeded through the room and into the closet. It was larger than her studio apartment back in New York and Veronica didn't know if she should be angry or impressed. Logan walked up to a wardrobe pulled out the handle and turned it ninety degrees.

Veronica gasped as the entire unit moved revealing a set of stairs. "So does this lead to the panic room or the bat cave?"

"You'll see."

Veronica followed Logan and found herself in a small office; in the middle of the room was a huge oak desk with a computer on it. The walls were covered with story boards and pictures of cover art. On the desk were four picture frames, one of Lynn Echolls, one of Logan and Dick from graduation at Hearst, one of Lily and Veronica from their last homecoming together, and one of Logan and Veronica on a sail boat taken the summer before they started college. Veronica picked up the picture of her and Logan and ran her finger over it; they had been so happy and carefree.

"Ah, the simpler, happier days." Logan walked over and took the picture out of her hands and placed it carefully back in place on the desk.

"I take it this is the office of L.E. Lester?" Veronica walked to the window that looked out over the ocean. "But what is the point of a super-secret office if it has a wall of windows?"

"I like to think of it as my writer's cave. It is one way glass, the whole house is." Logan responded as he sat down and turned on the computer, "V, before we can really talk about what is going on I need you to read something."

Veronica made her way to Logan's chair, "Ok. What am I looking at?" Logan stood and placed his hand on Veronica's shoulders and directed her into his chair.

"It's the third Betty March book, well part of it."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Veronica turned wide eyed to Logan. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'll give you some space; I'll be up there when you are finished." Logan turned and headed back up the stairs.

Veronica faced the computer with butterflies in her stomach and a lump in her throat.

**The Prodigal Runaway ****_by L.E. Lester_**

The tears started before she even finished the first line.

Veronica walked out of the hidden office about two hours later and found Logan sitting at the end of his bed holding a glass of whiskey. She sat on the bed next to him; she was drained, confused and scared for Logan.

She took a deep breath "Logan, those murders.."

"They are in my book."

"Your unfinished book."

"I know. What do you think this even means?"

"I think it means we are in more trouble than we thought." Veronica took Logan's glass and finished it in one drink.

Logan groaned and fell back onto his bed and covered his face with his hands. "This is insane."

"So just about par for the course for us then."

Logan turned his face and looked at Veronica and started to laugh but then the laughing turned to sobs. Veronica laid down next to Logan and pulled him into her arms and just let him cry. She slowly started running her fingers through his hair trying to calm him down.

"I'm cursed." He whispered.

"Logan don't you dare say that."

He pulled away and looked at her "It's true. Lilly, my mom, my father, Kendall, now Carol and some nameless ladies of the night. I bring death and destruction to all. You were right to run."

Now Veronica was starting to cry too, "Shut up. Yes, you have had to bear more hurt than most, but you are still here. And I was a coward, I should have stayed and I should have fought." She took her hand and gently wiped the tears off Logan's face, "Logan you aren't cursed. You are a miracle."

Logan caught Veronica's hand in his and looked into the face that haunted him every day she was gone and even though his world was falling down around him, she was there. And he had hope that things would be ok. He pulled her in so close their noses were touching, they were both breathing heavily trying to ignore the fact this was the closest they had been in years and it was still as exciting and nerve racking as it had been with they were teenagers. He wanted to kiss her, to rip off her clothes and show her how much he had missed her touch and just the nearness of her, but if this was going to be different, he had to be different. And though it killed him on the inside, he leaned up and placed a chaste kiss on Veronica's fore head, and wrapped her in a hug "Thank you."

Veronica looked into his eyes her body screaming to kiss him, to give in to the fire growing in her stomach, but she knew he was trying to be respectful of her relationship with Piz. And honestly that just made her want him more. "No, thank you." She placed her head on his chest and let a sigh escape her body that had been building since the day she left him.

Logan and Veronica were still fully clothed wrapped in each other's arms when her phone woke them a few hours later.

"Hello?" Veronica answered groggily.

"Honey is everything ok? Where are you?" Keith Mars's voice was tense.

"Yeah, what time is it? Crap. Dad I'm sorry, Logan and I lost track of time and I guess the day finally caught up with us."

"I was just worried."

"Thanks Dad, it's probably better if I just stay where I am tonight, I'll be home in the morning. "

Logan's eyes flew open; did he just hear her right?

"Are you sure?" Keith was wary of his daughter's plan.

"Yes, I'm sure. But we do need to talk tomorrow; can you wait for us to get there before you go into the office? Cliff should probably be there too."

"Sure. I'll see you in the morning."

"Thanks Dad, love you."

"You too kiddo."

Veronica hung up the phone and rolled back into Logan's arms.

"What was that?" Logan asked through a yawn.

"Just the first part of my plan to save your butt."

"It is a good butt." He pulled her closer.

"Shut up." She closed her eyes and promptly fell back asleep.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Veronica woke as the sun was rising over the ocean, the reds, yellows and oranges reflected off the water and the sky was a brilliant blue. She smiled to herself as she stretched and let out a large yawn, she reached to the other side of the bed to find it was empty and cold. Veronica sat straight up as her stomach dropped, where was Logan? She got up and checked the closet and his "writer's cave" but it was closed, she was about to check his bathroom when she saw a figure coming out of the water with a surf board.

"Of course." She said to the air. Veronica made her way to the kitchen and discovered Logan had made coffee and left a mug out for her that said 'World's Greatest Something'. Logan walked in with his wet suit pulled down to his waist and Veronica had to fight the urge to cat call as he entered the kitchen.

"Morning Pumpkin." Logan said as he went to the cabinet and pulled out a mug and poured himself a cup of coffee. "I need to shower real quick then we can go get your car and head to your Dad's place."

"Someone seems in a good mood considering everything going on." Veronica eyed him over her coffee.

"Well once upon a time I knew this girl and she said the best way to catch a bad guy was to keep up appearances that way they would never know what you know and that would make them more likely to screw up."

"Smart girl." She grinned.

"The smartest. I'll be read in fifteen." He grinned back at her.

* * *

"Dad? We are here." Veronica called out as she entered her Dad's house followed by Logan carrying her bags.

"In the kitchen Honey." Keith replied.

"Go ahead; I'll put your stuff in the guest room." Logan walked down the hall to the back of the house. Veronica knew Logan was her Dad's client but apparently they were friendly enough for Logan to know his way around the Mars house. It should have unnerved her, but actually it was relief, that meant her Dad would be more than willing to help.

Veronica walked into the kitchen to find her Dad and Cliff sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. She walked over and gave her dad a kiss on the cheek then walked straight to the fridge to look for something to eat.

"Well if it isn't my number one client. What fires do I have to put out this week?" Cliff asked as Logan entered.

"Dead ex-girlfriend and a couple of dead hookers. You know just the usual." Logan was trying to be glib but Veronica could see the worry in his eyes.

The two older men shot a look at Logan and then to Veronica.

Veronica took a deep breath and sat next to Logan at the kitchen island. "Gentlemen we have two separate situations on our hands. First, Carol Bishop was murdered, Lamb wants to pin it on Logan but he should be cleared as soon as they get the records from his security company for Monday night that proves he was home alone. "

Keith and Cliff nodded.

Logan rubbed his eyes and took a ragged breath. "The scarier problem involves the bodies that are washing up on the beach. They are from my book. The book I am writing right now."

"How?" Keith Mars leaned forward in his chair.

"We don't know Dad." Veronica put her hand over Logan's and squeezed.

"Who has read the book?" Keith asked.

"No one. It's not finished yet. Up until four days ago I had been stuck at chapter 8 for three months. And I have kept up with our protocols." Logan wanted to be embarrassed as he saw Veronica do the math in her head and realize she pulled him out of his writer's block but there were more important things to deal with first.

"So someone has either hacked the computer you write on, or more disturbing someone broke into your home. Who all knows your security codes?" Keith was starting to worry.

"Me, Dick, and my maid Rosie. That's it."

"Alright. I'll call Mac and have her run a diagnostic on your network to see if you've been hacked, and I'll run a back ground check on Dick and Rosie just to be on the safe side." The gears in Keith's mind were starting to turn.

"Wait, does Mac know?" Veronica asked.

"If we are honest, she has probably figured it out, but no, I just asked her build a system for one of my more paranoid clients, I never told her who it was for." Keith stood and started to pace around the kitchen.

"Um, Excuse me." Cliff interjected, "Why didn't you just go to the authorities when you realized someone was using your book as a blueprint for murder?"

"Well I usually only like to be investigated for one murder at a time." Logan snarked. "But it's not just my secret anymore; if I expose myself as L.E. Lester it would expose Veronica too." Veronica squeezed Logan's hand even tighter.

"And since Lamb has been vague with the press, no one has connected that the murders are related, so as far as the killer knows, Logan still has no idea what he or she doing. So there is no telling what would happen if Logan came forward." Keith was pacing again.

"Dad, its Leo. The guy sent in from San Diego. I'm sure he would help us out without too many questions." Veronica was glad to have a little good news to add to the conversation.

"Leo does owe me a few favors." Keith looked at his watch "I have to get to the office, but here is what we need to do, Cliff; check out the victims, who were they, did they have records, and were they connected."

"Roger that. Veronica a pleasure as always. Logan, I really am looking forward to my Christmas bonus this year." Cliff stood and winked as he headed out of the room.

"Now you two." Keith turned his attention to Logan and Veronica. "Status quo. Let me handle the Betty March murders since we don't know if the killer is watching Logan. Look into the Carol Bishop mess, watch out for the press and please, I really can't stress this enough, please try and stay out of trouble."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Veronica and Logan were sitting silently in the kitchen still holding hands when Keith called out from the front door. "Veronica, dear can you come here?"

Veronica met her Dad on the porch. "Did you think of something else?"

"Honey do you know what you are doing?"

"Trying to catch a bad guy or two."

"I mean with Logan, you have been saying we and us a lot. I know things can be intense between the two of you, but I remind you that you are already part of an "us and we" that is arriving on a flight this afternoon. So again, do you know what you are doing?" Keith placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders and looked her in the eye.

Veronica locked eyes with her father then looked down.

Keith sighed and kissed Veronica on the forehead. "I love you kiddo. I'll call you if I find out anything."

Veronica closed the front door dropped her head and sighed. Did she know what she was doing? Logan had a way of consuming her entire mind the way no one else could. She hadn't even thought of Piz for almost twenty-four hours and it didn't even bother her, she was an awful girlfriend.

Logan was leaning against the doorway to the kitchen watching Veronica, even though she was still in yesterday's rumpled clothing she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She had stayed away for so long but she never left him, Veronica Mars was imprinted on to his very soul, that is why he knew what he was about to do was going to suck.

"What happened at the law firm Veronica?"

Veronica looked up at Logan framed in the doorway with the sun shining in behind him, she actually felt herself go weak in the knees; she had missed him so much. "We had a difference of opinions."

"About what?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It does to me. Veronica what happened?"

Veronica sighed; she could already feel herself losing the battle so she gave in, "They wanted me to imply that you were upset during the meeting and that you could have killed Carol. I basically told them to shove it and left."

Logan moved to the couch and sat down and put his head in his hands. "Why would you do that? Why would you throw away a chance for a job at one of the best law firms in the country?"

Veronica went and kneeled beside Logan and put her hands on his leg, "Hey, look at me." Once those brown eyes were locked with hers she continued "I will not compromise the truth or my standards and throw someone under the bus just because it is convenient. And will not let anyone hurt you. Not anymore."

Logan cupped Veronica's face in his palm and ran his thumb over her check as she leaned into his touch, "Veronica."

The moment was shattered by the ringing of Veronica's phone. Logan pulled his hand away, and stood "You should probably get that."

Veronica's head was so fuzzy that it took her moment to register where her phone actually was. Once she found it, she couldn't keep the annoyance out of her voice. "Is there a burning orphanage somewhere and only I can stop it?"

"Well good morning to you too babe." Piz was taken aback by Veronica's curt tone.

"Piz" The guilt washed over Veronica as she saw Logan tense and walk back towards the kitchen area. "What's going on?"

"My flight's been canceled and I can't get on another one till tomorrow morning. I'm so sorry Veronica; I really want to be there with you."

"Oh, no. That's too bad." Veronica was lying through her teeth and she felt another wave of guilt engulf her. She couldn't end things over the phone could she? No, it needed to be done in person, she would have to wait till after the reunion, it might not be the right thing, but it was the compassionate thing to do for Piz.

"Are you sure you aren't upset?"

"No it's ok, I have case stuff here I can throw myself into to pass the time, and besides the big reunion stuff is Saturday night and you'll be here for that."

"Oh speaking of big reunion stuff, have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"The lead singer of Bishop was murdered and apparently Logan Echolls is a person of interest, I mean that is insane right? That dude just can't seem to catch a break." Piz knew Logan was a touchy subject with Veronica but the gossip was just too good not to share.

Veronica's eyes grew big, "How did you, when did you hear that?"

"It just broke about an hour ago, it's all over the place, and everyone at the radio station is freaking out. Seriously have you not turned on the TV or the radio?"

"Nope, I've been preoccupied with other stuff. Hey I have to go, I'm sorry about the flight but I'll see you tomorrow ok." Veronica hung up before Piz had a chance to reply.

"Logan, it's out. Carol's murder, the press knows now, they will be coming for you as soon as they can find you." Veronica could not hide the concern in her voice.

Logan shrugged and took a deep breath, "Well I guess it's time then."

"Time for what?" Veronica walked towards him.

"For you to walk away."

"What the hell Logan?" Veronica stopped in her tracks.

"Look your Dad and Cliff are up to speed with what is going on, the security records will show I'm innocent but the media will still claim I am my father's son and you don't have to go through that, not again Veronica. I can't ruin your life and mine." Logan was staring at the floor, he couldn't look her eyes, he couldn't let her know he was terrified of facing this without her. He was trying to protect her by pushing her away, wasn't that Veronica's signature move?

It felt like someone was squeezing Veronica's heart in her chest. She knew exactly what Logan was trying to do and she hated it. "No."

Logan looked at Veronica surprised and relieved by her answer. "No?"

"We are fixing this, and then we are fixing us. I don't know what that means or how it's going to happen, but I am not walking away."

Logan couldn't help but smile.

Veronica started to pace "We need to find Don Shepherd and Carrie Bishop. But now that the press knows about Carol we can't really go snooping while being followed by photographers. I think we need to split up; I'll look for Carrie and Don while you go be impervious to the press. We can meet up and compare notes later."

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope."

"Well then I will see you later." Logan followed Veronica to the door; he started to step out then turned, "Thank you Veronica." He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek then walked away towards his car.

Veronica watched as Logan drove away and tried to ignore how much she already missed him.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Veronica spent forty-five minutes in the shower. She was so focused on trying to come up with plans to find Don and Carrie that she accidently shampooed her hair three times. Things seemed simpler when she was younger, but back then Veronica acted on instinct with little thought of the consequences. It had been years since she had even investigated let alone solved a case. Now the consequences were weighing her down and she wondered if she could even trust her instincts anymore. She was not happy with any of the plans she came up with in the shower, so she turned on the TV while she dressed to try and get a clearer picture of what people were saying about Carol Bishop's death.

Veronica's back was to the television when she heard the reporter.

"Mr. Echolls, Mr. Echolls what do you know about the death of Carol Bishop?" a reporter dressed like a used car salesman was shoving a microphone in Logan's face.

Veronica sat down and watched.

Logan raised the sunglasses off his face and sighed, he did look tired. "I am saddened and shocked at Carol's death. But I have full confidence that her killer will be brought to justice. Now all we can do now is celebrate her life and the gift of her music."

Logan turned to walk into what looked like a hotel lobby when another reporter called out, "Is it true that you are suspect in her murder?"

Logan spun around and started to take a step forward when a shock of blonde hair came out of nowhere and created a barrier between Logan and the press. "Whoa, Dude. Logan Echolls is an innocent man. And this, good people of the press, is private property so unless you are a guest of the hotel I think it is time for you to leave." And with that Dick ushered Logan into the Neptune Grand.

Dick Casablancas was not Veronica's favorite person but he was loyal to Logan and she was glad Logan was not alone, and that she now knew where to find Logan if she needed him.

After she dressed Veronica sat down at her computer to gather the facts she had and what facts everyone else knew. Carol had been found Wednesday evening at her family's home by her mom and dad who had been on vacation in Europe for the past two weeks. It appears she died late Monday, early Tuesday and whoever killed her set the security alarm before leaving the house, or they never set it off to begin with. Carol was looking to cut Carrie out of the business dealings of the band Bishop and fire her. Carol's lawyer Don Shepherd did not like that idea. Veronica knew she was missing something but she just wasn't sure what. She needed to talk to Logan.

"Prisoner 24601." Logan answered.

Veronica rolled her eyes, "I didn't know you were such a Hugh Jackman fan."

"Hey, the man may have Adamantium claws, but his vocal cords are pure gold, just ask his Tony award."

"Dude, I'm gonna take your man card away if you keep that up." Dick yelled out in the back ground.

"Logan, do you know if Carrie is seeing anyone?" Veronica needed to get down to business.

"I think she might be, but she was pretty secretive about it, and I never wanted to spend any more time with her than I had too."

"What is your opinion of Don Shepherd?"

"Don Shepherd? He is ok I guess, Cliff is really the only lawyer I trust, but Carol liked him, I think he was a family friend or something." Logan answered.

"Don Shepherd? You know who that is right?" Dick sat on the arm of the couch with no qualms about eavesdropping on Logan's phone call.

"He is, I mean, was Carol's lawyer." Logan responded.

"And the old guy is totally giving it to Carrie." Dick grinned.

"What!?" Logan and Veronica responded in unison.

Logan went ahead and put the call on speaker since it seemed Dick actually had something to contribute to the conversation other than smart ass remarks. "How do you know that Dick?"

"Cause I walked in on them having sex in a guest room at one of my mom's parties with Carrie's parents and Don's wife like 200 feet away. "

"When was that?" Veronica asked.

"This summer, the 4th of July I think." Dick was enjoying knowing more than Veronica Mars.

"Do you think his wife knows?" Logan was surprised Dick had not shared this gossip before, but then again Logan never asked.

"I don't think so, I did their anniversary party six weeks ago and Carrie was there. But she is friends with Don's step daughter, so I don't really know if they are still doing it."

"Who is Don's step daughter?" Logan was curious since he was supposed to go to that party with Carol but she had come down with strep.

"Susan Knight." Dick always thought he was the slow one of the group but here he was having to spell everything out for Logan and Veronica.

"Wait, you are saying Don Shepherd is Susan Knight's step dad?" Veronica wondered why Don had never brought that factoid up in the short time they worked together.

"And that Carrie Bishop is sleeping with her best friend's step-dad?" Logan was grossed out by this information.

"Dude, this is Neptune, when has age or social acceptability every stop the dads in this town from getting some on the side? Look at Aaron and Lily." Dick regretted his last statement as soon as it left his mouth.

Logan flinched, Dick had a point, but with another dead girlfriend on the roster it just hurt a little more than normal. "What are you thinking, Veronica?" Logan decided it was best to change the subject.

"I think I need to get my hands on something I saw at the law firm on Monday." Veronica thought she might have finally figured out what she was missing.

"Didn't you have a parting of ways with them?" Logan took the phone back off speaker and Dick walked away bored that he was no longer the center of attention.

"I am hoping I didn't firebomb all those bridges. Are you sure the Grand is the best place right now?"

"Dick still lives here, and we are kinda in charge so I'll be ok." Logan smiled to himself.

"What do you mean kinda in charge?" Veronica was not sure she liked the sound of that statement.

"We own it."

"You and Dick?"

"And Mac."

"What the hell! Just how out of the loop am I?"

"Apparently, just enough to keep you on your toes."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"Rebecca Knott speaking." Rebecca had picked up on the first ring.

"Rebecca, its Veronica Mars."

"Veronica Mars, can I tell you that you are my hero? No one has ever left in a blaze of glory quite like you did the other day. It was awesome, but I don't know if I ever want to be black listed at every Fortune 500 law firm in the country."

"Thank you?" The fact that Rebecca had not hung up was a good sign to Veronica. "Hey, I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions."

"I'll do the best I can, shoot."

"Has Don Shepherd shown up at work yet?"

"Ugh. No. Everyone here has to pick up the slack for that jerk face. I hope the coppers do find him and accidently tase him in the junk."

"So the sheriff's department is looking for him."

"Some cute guy with a badge and a mustache came by today and asked around, but no one has seen him since he and Carrie Bishop had that fight in his office Monday afternoon." Rebecca wished she had caught the deputy's name or at least had asked for his card.

"Did you happen to hear what the fight was about?" Veronica was glad the woman felt like sharing.

"Not all of it, but there was something about contracts, and promises, trips to the boardwalk and Catalina Island. It was strange, loud, and really made no sense, so sort of like any time spent with Don." Rebecca laughed at her own joke.

"Thanks Rebecca. I have one more request, but this one is little trickier."

"Ask away."

Veronica took a deep breath, "I need to see the contract files for Bishop, the original ones, and the ones that were updated this summer. I have already seen them; I just think I missed something the first time around, something that proves Don was using some unethical tactics with Carol and her band."

"If I do this, will it help me get Don out of the office for good?"

"Probably."

"I'll e-mail them to you with in the hour."

"Thank you Rebecca, I owe you."

"I'll hold you to that Veronica Mars."

Veronica sat in a stunned silence as she went over the files Rebecca had sent over. How had she missed this on Monday? She read everything again, just to make sure she fully grasped the legal jargon in the contracts. Veronica sent a text to Logan telling him to call her when he was alone, then called Ruby over at Mars Investigation. "Hey Ruby, are you busy?"

"Never too busy for you Veronica, what's up?" her dad's receptionist sunnily replied.

"I need you to run some financials and some back ground for me."

"Sure, what is the name?"

"Don Shepherd, he is an entertainment lawyer in LA but lives in Neptune."

"Oh, Susan Knight's step daddy?"

Was Veronica really one of the only people who did not know about the Don and Susan connection? "Yep, that's the guy. Unfortunately I'm kinda in a bind, so the sooner the better, please Ruby."

"You said the magic word; I'll get right on it. I'll e-mail you everything I find."

"Thanks Ruby, you are a life saver."

"Ooo, the pineapple ones are my favorite."

Veronica laughed at the receptionist's quirkiness, when her phone beeped. "Hey Ruby, I've got another call I need to take. I'll talk to you soon." Veronica clicked over to the other line, "Logan, I know why Carol wanted Carrie gone."

"What? How? Tell." Logan was starting to go a little stir crazy in the hotel and it had only been a few hours.

"The band, Carrie wanted the band. She had Don Shepherd write up new contracts that looked just like the old ones, but in the fine print it says that if Carrie sees it fit she can kick Carol out of the band and take over as lead singer and Carol loses all rights to the name Bishop and any song she wrote or sang as a member of the band."

"Is that even legal?" Logan knew Carrie was crazy but this was a new level even by LA standards.

"Yes and no. Everyone in the band signed it, so it is binding, but the way it is written you could argue that there was no way the band could have known what they were signing. Don hid it well, I mean I even missed it the first time I read through it."

"So you think Carol figured it out, and once Carrie knew Carol knew, she killed her?"

"I don't know, we can agree that Carrie is a horrible human being, but could she really kill her own sister just to be lead singer in a band?"

"Veronica, look at my family and what they did to achieve and keep fame. It makes people do crazy and horrible things to the people they should love the most."

"Logan. I'm sorry." Veronica whispered.

"Logan Echolls, Cautionary Tale." He couldn't hide the bitterness in his laugh. "But this information clarifies some interesting intel from our favorite party planner."

"What does Dick know now?" Veronica did not like having to depend on Dick for anything.

"Apparently Carrie is coming to the reunion and she told the committee that she will be performing a song in remembrance of those we have lost, including her sister."

"When did you find this out?"

"Right before you texted."

"Of course Carrie couldn't pass up the chance to be the center of attention, well at least we know where she will be; now we just need to find Don Shepherd."

"Any leads?"

"Not yet, but I've got my Dad's girl Friday, well, I guess she's more of a Wednesday Adams working on it."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

While Veronica waited for Ruby to get back to her, she decided to be productive and work on putting her Mary Poppins like bag of tricks together. Veronica knew where Keith kept her camera and various lenses, but she was not sure where he stashed everything else. She was in the hall closet when she saw a box on the top shelf labeled "Nancy Drew Books". You have got to be kidding me, she thought. Veronica pulled down the box and carried it into her room, sure enough; it was full of electronic bugging equipment, pen cameras, tracking chips, handcuffs, pepper spray, and a brand new hot pink Taser. Veronica laughed at her Dad's sense of humor.

As Veronica finished packing her bag, she got a text from Wallace who wanted to get together for lunch and since she still had not heard from Ruby she agreed.

Veronica met Wallace on campus at Hearst since that was where he was working on his PhD. As she walked across the different quads she couldn't help but think back to her freshman year and while things had never been simple there, she had been happy, at least for a while.

"Hey Girl, why are we not meeting half way between here and LA, and why are you not wearing a pantsuit?" Wallace was sitting on a bench outside the Engineering building with a bag from Veronica's favorite Chinese Take-out place.

"I can explain officer, really I can." Veronica put her hands up in mock defense.

"Oh this is going to be good. Should I have brought popcorn too?"

"Shut up and hand me some food."

Veronica brought Wallace up to speed on everything that had happened but left out the dead hookers on the beach and the Betty March connection, one ridiculous drama at a time she thought.

Once Veronica had finished, Wallace let out a low whistle and looked at his friend. "So do you and Logan find trouble or does trouble find you?"

"That is just one of life's great mysteries my dear."

"And you spent the night in Logan's bed?"

"Don't look at me like that! Nothing happened; his ex-girlfriend was just murdered."

"And you have Piz."

"Right." Veronica looked away.

"What did he say when you told him?" Wallace noticed Veronica's lack of eye contact.

"I haven't"

"Veronica! What are you doing?"

"What, I should just be like 'Hey Piz, destroyed my chance at a dream job to protect Logan Echolls, now I'm trying to catch whoever killed his ex-girlfriend, And, oh yeah, I spent the night in his bed but nothing happened. Did I mention that I think I'm still crazy about him?' You really think I should have put that out there over the phone?" Veronica could feel her pulse speeding up.

"Why didn't you? He is going to show up here and blindly walk into all this drama and whatever sick form of foreplay is going on with you and Logan."

Veronica sighed, "Piz is so excited about this trip, he planned everything out, he has been dying to see you and Mac. And he just needs to spend some time in the California sunshine. I just didn't have the heart to ruin it for him."

"Oh so you are just going to wait till he is here to ruin it?"

"Wallace."

"No Veronica. I know what you are doing. You are waiting till Piz gets here, you are going to let him have a few hours of fun, then you are going to push him to the sidelines and make him watch you and Logan burn this place down with your chemistry. Then to add insult to his injury you are going to make it so that Piz is the one who has to break up with you, so you can be the innocent party when you go running back to Logan."

Veronica looked down at her lunch and lost her appetite. "What should I do?"

"Oh no, this is not my mess to clean up. I love you Veronica, but sometimes you are one of the most selfish people I know, and we spent high school in Neptune."

Veronica laughed as the tears started to form in her eyes. This is why she needed Wallace, he wasn't afraid to put her in her place when she was awful. But she knew that even when he was mad at her, he still loved her.

"Veronica, you have got to decide who you want to work on having a life with, if it's Logan, clear his name, surf off into the sunset together, but be honest with Piz, he deserves that. But if you want to go back to New York and make things work with Piz you should probably let your Dad handle the stuff with Logan."

"I… just… I have to fix this. I have to make things right with Logan."

Wallace sighed. "What do you have to fix, you said he didn't kill Carol Bishop. Is there something else you aren't telling me?"

Veronica hung her head and took a deep breath "Have you read anything that wasn't a text book the past two years?"

"What?"

Veronica looked around, then looked at Wallace and moved closer as she lowered her voice, "Have you read the Betty March books?"

"The books your Dad wrote about you?"

"My Dad didn't write them."

Wallace's eyes grew wide, "Logan?"

Veronica nodded.

"Shit."

"Wallace, you can't say anything, to anyone. Please. I know it's not an excuse for my behavior towards Piz, but can you at least understand that things are much more complicated than they appear."

"Your secret is safe with me, you know that."

"I know."

"But Veronica, you can't put off the Piz thing, the longer you wait the worse it's going to be for everyone."

"I know."

"So put it on your list of stuff to fix." Wallace stood and looked at his best friend, "I should get back to work. Are you going to be ok?"

"I will be." Veronica gave Wallace a sad smile and watched as he jogged back into the Engineering building. She pulled out her phone and sent a text to Piz.

'Call when you can'

As soon as the message sent, Veronica's phone buzzed with a message from Ruby. 'Check your e-mail'


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Don Shepherd's financial records looked like so many other philandering husbands, hidden bank accounts, multiple cell phones, but Don was also paying rent every month on a small condo unit at the newly remodeled Sandpiper Hotel.

Veronica sat in her car staring at the Sandpiper, she had not gone anywhere near the hotel since the day she followed Kendall Casablancas, and being back made her stomach squirm, not because Logan's affair with Kendall still bothered her, it didn't. It was just this place was a glaring reminder of another instance she was used by Cassidy Casablancas. She shook her whole body trying to get the memory of Beaver out of her mind.

A very attractive college aged guy in a seersucker suit was working at the front desk when Veronica walked up. "Can I help you ma'am?"

"Oh, I hope so, Dave." Veronica read his name tag. "I am meeting my friend who has a room here but I'm kind of in a bind, I'm super early, and my phone is dead and I can't for the life of me remember what unit she is in and I really don't want to sit around in the lobby for the next hour till we are suppose to get together. Is there any way you could look up her room for me?"

Dave eyed the cute blonde giving him sad puppy dog eyes "I'll do what I can, what is the name?"

"Well that's the thing, she is notorious for using fake names, but I can show you her picture, maybe you'll recognize her." Veronica pulled out an old picture of Carrie Bishop from high school. "I know it's old but I'm in town for our reunion and we are going to play catch up."

Dave took the picture and furrowed his brow then his eyes opened wide, "I'm pretty sure this is Susan Rooks."

"Susan Rooks?" Veronica could barely hide her shock and disgust.

"Yep. I haven't seen her lately, but her husband has been here all week."

"Oh, him?" Veronica handed Dave a picture of Don from the law firm's website.

"That's Mr. Rooks, not always very social, but always a good tipper. Let me get you the room, oh I'm sorry ma'am there is a firm do not disturb not on unit."

Veronica added a pout to her puppy dog eyes. "Really?"

"Well if you happen to find yourself out side of 212 you might find your friend and if you happen to find yourself in the bar at 6 you might find yourself with plans for the night." Dave gave Veronica a knowing look followed by a wink.

Veronica gave a small giggle, "It must be my lucky day. Thank you Dave." She turned her back and rolled her eyes as she headed towards building 2.

Veronica found out where Don Shepherd was hiding out and just how twisted Carrie Bishop could be. Maybe she was capable of killing her own sister, because obviously Carrie was loyal to no one. Veronica heard a door opening in front of her and she quickly ducked in to the alcove holding the ice and soda machines when she heard Don's voice. "Yes, I'd like to place an order for pick up, a large thin crust triple meats, cheesy garlic bread with extra dipping sauce and a small dinner salad, put it under Rooks, yep, I'm walking over now, thanks."

Veronica quickly pulled out her camera as Don's voice faded away to see if she could snap a few shots and see where he was heading. Don was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and shorts with a baseball cap and sunglasses on so he looked just like any other tourist as he started walking towards the pier. Momma's Pizza was just off the pier and had the best cheesy garlic bread on the coast so that was probably who Don was ordering from, and that also gave her about 25 minutes to get in and out of his place and plant a few bugs. Veronica scanned around and noticed the maid's cart by the service elevator and she hoped for the best.

Sure enough the maid had left her master key in the apron hanging off the end of the cart, Veronica quietly slipped it into her own pocket and headed to room 212.

It was billed as a condo but really it was just a suite with a kitchenette which meant it would not take Veronica long to take care of business. She planted bugs on the phone, under the coffee table, in the plant on the balcony and one in the lamp by the bed. Veronica also found two extra pre-paid cell phones in Don's bag that she chipped. She was hoping Don and Carrie were in contact and one if not both of them knew the truth about what happened to Carol.

The trash had already been emptied for the day but Veronica checked the fridge in the kitchen and found it full of beer and to-go containers, all from places located along the pier, Don was sticking close to the Sandpiper but he was still going out in public. Veronica thought about just making herself comfy and grilling Don once he came back to the room, but she did not want to spook him. Besides Carrie probably told him horrible but mostly true things about Veronica after the meeting on Monday and he might get paranoid and start looking for bugs. Nope, she had to play this safe.

Veronica was in and out of Don's room with 10 minutes to spare. She returned the maid's key to the cart and made it back to her car to wait and watch for Don's return. As Don made his way back to the Sandpiper he stopped and looked around a few times to check to see if he was being followed. Veronica decided she made the right decision not ambushing him in his room.

It turns out Don was being followed, as soon as he disappeared into his room, a dark blue locksmith van pulled into the parking lot and Veronica groaned. She knew that stupid van and it's equally annoying contents, Vinnie Van Lowe.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Veronica walked up to the van and pulled open the side door "Really Vinnie, don't you think it's time to update your van, it looks like something from Catch a Predator."

Vinnie let out a high pitch girl screech when Veronica opened the door, but a grin crossed his face when he realized who had found him. "Now, now Veronica Mars, you don't mess with the classics, big boy blue here is a classic."

"Whatever you say. So what do you want with Don Shepherd?"

"I do not know of who you speak."

"Is that the game you want to play?"

"But playing with you is always so much fun."

"Ew, Vinnie. Seriously what or who are you following him for?"

"It looks like I could ask you the same thing. I'll show you mine, if you show me yours."

Veronica took a deep breath and shook her head. "I'm working on behalf of a wronged client." That was the truth, sorta.

"Standard cheating husband stuff."

"Mrs. Shepherd thinks her husband is cheating?"

"Nope but the step daughter does. What did he do to wrong your client?"

"He leaked information to the competition, I'm trying to find what kind of kickbacks he got for it. Well, Vinnie as always this had been an experience." Veronica turned to leave.

"Hey Veronica, you're legal now, we should go out sometime."

"Gross. Vinnie you are old enough to be my father."

"No, but I wouldn't mind you calling me Daddy." Vinnie wiggled his eyebrows at Veronica.

Veronica made a heaving noise "Good bye Vinnie." She slammed the door shut and heard Vinnie laughing from inside the van.

Veronica wanted to take a hazmat shower. Vinnie had been helpful, Veronica now knew that Susan Knight thought Don was cheating on her mom, but did Susan have any idea it was Carrie? "Well this should make for some interesting conversations at the reunion" Veronica said to the air.

Cliff McCormack's office was only a few blocks away and Veronica decided to take a break from one murder case to check up on the other murder case. "Never a dull moment in Neptune, how did I stay away so long?" she chuckled to herself.

The law office of Cliff McCormack was old and worn yet comfortable and oddly inviting. Cliff could have dropped all his other clients a long time ago; he made enough money off of Logan Echolls and Logan's misadventures in life to live comfortably. But at the end of the day Cliff liked his job, and even if he didn't like all his clients, he did love the sound of his voice echoing in a court room.

Veronica walked into Cliff's office and was surprised to find her Dad and Cliff deep in a hushed conversation. She cleared her throat, "Can I come in, or do I need to know the secret handshake?"

Keith Mars looked up at his daughter, "Hey kiddo, what are you doing here?"

Veronica eyed several brand new folders on Cliff's desk, "Just checking in, seeing if you guys had any news."

"Actually, you are just the person we need to fill in some blanks for us." Cliff motioned to the open seat next to Keith. "You have read the next Betty March book; you can tell us about it and how the murders fit into the story."

"Shouldn't you be asking Logan?" Veronica sat down as her father rose.

"Logan can get defensive when it comes to the Betty March stories, you can at least be a little more objective about the matter." Keith walked the front door, flipped over the 'Sorry We Missed You' sign, locked the door and returned to his seat.

"So, V, what can you tell us?" Cliff leaned back in his chair and watched the blonde.

It felt strange to talk about the book without Logan around but Veronica knew it was in Logan's best interest. "It's called 'The Prodigal Runaway' Betty has been gone for almost a year when the bodies start washing up on the shore. Most look like Betty's dead best friend and Rick's ex-fiancé Lauren, but the newest one looks like Betty. All have been strangled and had their tongues cut out and the letter L carved over their hearts. The cops think Rick did it, so they arrest him and Betty comes back to clear his name."

Keith rubbed his chin. "In the story, do they know who did it?"

"It's Rick's father, Charles. You know in the second book you find out Charles killed Lauren on the night of her and Rick's engagement party because she wanted to come clean about their affair. In this book Charles is losing his mind and in fits of drunken rage he mistakes the women for Lauren and cuts out their tongues to keep them from telling the truth to Rick. Charles carves the Ls because Lauren is always in his heart. When he comes too and sees what he has done, he dumps the bodies in the ocean thinking it will somehow wash away his mistakes." Veronica finishes and watches the two men as the story sinks in.

Cliff speaks first, "Your Logan Echolls is a pretty twisted little pup isn't he?"

Veronica shook her head and turned to her father waiting for him to speak.

Keith took a deep ragged breath "So there is a chance that this really isn't about Logan at all, but about Aaron."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

It wasn't a question, but a statement and it made Veronica's blood run cold. Aaron Echolls was long gone and burning in hell, "How, why? So someone figured out L.E. Lester is really Logan and is committing the murders to what, honor Aaron?"

"He did have quite the devoted following. You know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the delusions grander." Cliff sat forward and picked up the folders on his desk.

"Dad, you really don't think?"

"Honey, it's just another angle to explore." Keith reached over and rubbed Veronica's arm. "And apparently Logan's maid was out 4 times over the past 3 months so I'm waiting for Eli to send over the records of who filled in for Rosie."

"Eli? What does Weevil have to do with any of this?" Veronica looked between the two men waiting for an answer.

"Eli runs a new gang now." Cliff laughed "He basically unionized all the maids, cooks, gardeners and pool boys in Neptune; so if you want any work done in or around your '09er house you have to go through Navarro Home Services."

"They all get equal pay, have health insurance and some even started investing in 401K's, Eli is definitely making life better for the help." Keith smiled, "I thought you two kept in touch?"

"We did for a while, but I haven't heard from him since my first year of law school. Sounds like he kept busy though." Veronica's head was starting to spin. Could the murders be more about Aaron and possibly Lilly than about Logan and Veronica?

"Veronica, do you think Logan would let Leo read the book so far? It might help with the official investigation. I'm not saying Logan goes waltzing in and offers himself up as the author, but I could deliver the book on behalf of Mr. Lester."

Veronica was only really half listening, "Uh, yeah, I mean maybe. You should talk to Logan; I shouldn't make those decisions for him."

"V, you ok there buddy? I know this has been a rough couple of days but you can handle this right?" Cliff was concerned.

"Sorry, I'm just trying to make sense of the whole thing." Veronica rubbed her temples.

"Look if any of this made a lick of sense you and your Dad would have solved it already. But it is nice to have the old team back together." Cliff smiled to try and reassure Veronica.

"I am going to head over to the Grand and talk to Logan." Keith stood and patted Veronica on the back. "Why don't you go home and get some rest, you still have reunion stuff this weekend and..."

"I need to keep up appearances, status quo and such. I know Dad."

Keith kissed the top of Veronica's head. "They grow up so fast. Cliff, beer and the game tonight?"

"Keith you spoil me." Cliff laughed "I'll be there."

Keith walked out of the office and Veronica closed her eyes, took a deep breath and stood to go.

"You know it is good to have you back." Cliff said.

"Thanks Cliff. I think I actually did miss this place, well at least the people."

"Maybe you should stay. I mean it V, your dad isn't getting any younger, your friends are here, and the sun actually shines here. Isn't this where your heart is anyway?"

"I don't know Cliff. I spent a lot of money to become a lawyer; I don't think I could go back to being a private investigator."

"Then stay a lawyer."

"Where?"

"Here. With me."

"What?"

"I mean it V, I have more than enough cases, and you could help your Dad keep investigations in line with the law. You would be helping the little guy and Logan when he gets in trouble. Besides you kinda already said yes."

"I did?"

"You did present yourself as a member of Logan's legal team at the sheriff's office and since I am Logan's lawyer that would imply you work for me."

Veronica laughed "I guess it would. I appreciate the offer, I really do but I just need to solve these cases before I start thinking about my future in Neptune."

"Alright. Just don't let yourself get buried under all of this; you need to remember there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And the offer stands Veronica. "

"Thanks, Cliff."

Veronica sat in her car mulling over Cliff's job offer, McCormick and Mars Attorneys at Law did have a nice ring to it. She laughed, it seemed absurd, but the more she thought about it the more she smiled. Veronica was pulled from her thoughts by her buzzing cell phone.

"Hey Mac. What's going on?"

"Oh I don't know, when did you check out of your hotel?" Mac sounded annoyed.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe I wanted to go stay at the Grand, you know the hotel you own and didn't tell me about."

"Touché Bond. Touché"


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Keith Mars used the employee entrance of the Neptune Grand and the service elevator to get to the Presidential Suite and Logan Echolls. It was Logan's go to hiding place when things got tough, he hadn't need it much the last few years but with Logan and bad luck, when it rained, it poured.

Dick answered the door and seemed unsurprised to find a Mars on the other side. "Hey Sheriff, come on in."

"Thank you Richard."

"Can I get you anything, water, soda, an alibi?" Dick led Keith into the living room and to Logan who was pacing back and forth behind the couch.

Logan stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Keith. "Is Veronica ok? Did something happen?"

Keith chuckled to himself, Logan's world was on the verge of collapse and his concern was Veronica, "She is fine Logan, but I do need to talk to you, preferably alone."

"Dude this is my humble abode." Dick did not like being left out.

"Dick it's probably best if you gave us a few minutes, please. Right now the less you know the safer you will be."

"Screw safe, Logan. You are my family and if you are in trouble I've got your back. So no, I'm not leaving." Dick sat himself on the couch and folded his arms over his chest.

Logan looked at Keith and shrugged. "Keith is this about Lester's new book?"

Keith nodded following Logan's lead "I think that you need to talk to him and convince him that letting Leo read what has been written so far might help with the investigation."

"What investigation?" Dick sat up.

Logan took a deep breath and sat on the couch next to Dick "Someone is committing murders from the new but not finished Betty March book. And since I can count on two fingers the number of people I know have the read the book, we have no idea who could be doing this or why."

"Shit. Logan that is messed up." Dick rubbed his face. "So you let Veronica read it?"

Both Keith's and Logan's jaws dropped. Keith spoke first "Logan said two fingers, why would you think Veronica would one of them?"

"Come on, contrary to popular belief I am more than just a pretty face. Like I didn't know my best friend was a bestselling author." Dick was amused by the shocked expression on the men's faces.

"Dick, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just thought it would be easier. I needed Keith and Cliff's help to make Lester appear real and I didn't want you to get sucked into all the lies. Wait, does this mean you've actually read them?'

Dick laughed "Yes I have read the Betty March books, thanks for making me the smart brother in them by the way."

Logan joined in on the laughing "You are very welcome."

Keith cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, can we get back on topic here."

"Sorry." Logan ran his hands through his hair. "You really think letting Leo read the book will help?"

"It would at least give them a place to start. And I can take it to him, explain that you saw the pictures and recognized them from the chapters that Lester had sent you and you reached out to get him to help with the investigation." Keith leaned against a chair.

"But what if they want to bring L.E. Lester in for questioning?" Dick asked.

"We simply remind them that Lester is a well know recluse so no one really knows where he is. But that as his manager and confidant Logan can answer any questions they might have about the story." Keith looked at Logan, "What do you think?"

"I think it might be our best option right now. Has Mac found anything yet?"

"Mac! Why is she involved?" Dick was a little louder than he had meant to be.

"Whoa, Dick she just designed the program I write the books on. Mac is checking the system to see if I was hacked, that is her only involvement. She doesn't know it's me." Logan was surprised by Dick's outburst.

"Cindy said it might take her a day or two to get the information." Keith noticed Dick relax as he learned Mac was not directly involved.

"Just analysis stuff for Mac, no in the field missions, you got that. She is too important." Dick caught himself "As a business partner and client of Casablancas Concepts and Creations."

Logan tilted his head as Dick avoided all eye contact "Dick, something you need to share with the class?"

Dick stood "No. I just don't want any more friends sucked into this nightmare than there has to be. Besides I have a girlfriend. And I should go check on her now. Just let me know what I can do to help." Dick quickly made his way out the door, "Sheriff, Logan."

Once the door clicked shut Keith let out a breath, "Well that was interesting."

Logan nodded "Dick is always full of surprises."

Keith sat down in the chair next to the couch and looked at Logan, "I talked to Veronica about the book and the murders. I have a theory but I know you aren't going to like it."

"What is it?"

"What if this is about your Dad?"

All the color drained from Logan's face. "Aaron?"

"Look your father's fans were never subtle. And no one has stepped up to claim responsibility or tease the cops with clues so they aren't doing it for personal fame and notoriety."

"So at least it's not Trina." Logan let out a bitter laugh.

"Logan, we still have no idea who or what we are dealing with, so you have be smart and just being a smartass doesn't count."

"Well then I am in trouble."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Veronica agreed to meet Mac in her suite at the Neptune Grand so the two could have an honest face to face conversation. And it would give Veronica an excuse to check on Logan.

As she pulled into the parking lot of the Grand Veronica counted at least ten photographers camped out waiting to get pictures of Logan or possibly Carrie. Veronica decided it would be best if she went in through the employee entrance in the back. She was waiting for the service elevator when the doors opened and her father walked out.

"Dad, fancy meeting you here."

"Veronica, I thought you were going to go home and rest."

"Mac is staying here this weekend so I thought I'd come and rest in her room since it has room service."

"And it lets you keep an eye on Logan?"

Veronica sighed "Maybe. How did it go up there?"

"Let's see, he agreed about the book, we talked about his dad, and Dick knows. So a mixed bag."

"What! No. Why did Logan tell him?"

"He didn't."

"You told him?"

Keith laughed, "He figured it out on his own. Apparently Richard is smarter and more observant than we give him credit for."

"But he is still a dick."

Keith laughed even louder "Yes, yes he is honey. Are you staying here with Mac tonight or will I see you at home later?"

"I haven't decided yet. I'll text you later and let you know."

"Alright, I love you."

Veronica kissed her Dad on the cheek "I love you too."

After a short elevator ride Veronica found herself standing in front of Logan's door, she stood there not quite sure what she should do. She made a fist to knock but stopped at the last moment and placed her hand silently on the door.

The door swung open and Veronica felt a strong hand grip her wrist and pull her into the room and in a flash Logan had his arms wrapped around her in a hug and his head resting on top of hers.

Veronica just let herself melt into him, she inhaled and breathed Logan in, she leaned her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. If she was honest with herself, this was her happy place, he was her happy place. Even with all the crap they put each other through over the years followed by the distance and the silence; when things got bad, this is where she imagined herself; wrapped in the safety of Logan's arms. The little voice in her head said "You are in so much trouble."

Logan spoke first "I saw your Dad, he had some interesting theories."

Veronica kept her eyes closed and head against his chest. "I know. It's a scary idea but the more I think about it, the more it starts to seem plausible."

"I was afraid you were going to say that." Logan let go of Veronica and walked over to couch and threw himself down with a sigh. "Any good news today?"

Veronica sat next to Logan "I found Don Shepherd."

"Of course you did, where is the shady lawyer?"

"Hiding out at the Sandpiper, and get this, everyone there thinks he and Carrie are a married couple named Rooks."

"As in Susan's baby daddy, history teacher extraordinaire Rooks?"

"Yep."

"God, she is awful. So what do we do now?"

"I planted a few bugs so now we have to wait to see who he is talking to and what he knows if anything."

"I hate waiting."

Veronica laughed, "Trust me I know."

Logan turned and took her hands in his. "I do you know, trust you. And I need you to trust me now."

"What are you talking about?"

"If this is even remotely about Aaron, you are in as much danger as I am, and since we still don't know how or if they are watching me it would be better if we stayed away from each other, for now."

Veronica pulled back her hands and looked away.

"Veronica if it looks like we are barely on speaking terms maybe they will leave you alone and stay focused on me."

"And what would that accomplish?"

"It would keep you safe. I swear if anything happened to you I would never forgive myself."

"And you think I could survive losing you?"

"You've done it before."

Veronica was speechless. She looked at Logan wide eyed, she stood and started marching to the door.

Logan stood "Veronica, I didn't mean it like that."

Veronica spun around and took a few steps towards Logan "I'm pretty sure you did."

"Will you stay away if you are mad?"

Veronica sighed and shook her head; Logan was pushing her buttons as only he could. "I will play along for a few days, after that you are stuck with me."

"You promise?" Logan grinned at her.

Veronica grinned back and held out her hand "Pinkie Swear."

Logan took her pinkie in his, "You lawyers and your binding contracts."


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Mac threw open the door to her suite. "Where have you been? I was about to send out a search party."

Veronica threw up her hands in defense "Sorry. I got side tracked, but I'm here now." She walked into the room and threw her bag down on the couch.

"How is Logan today?"

"I don't know; why don't you go ask him yourself he is only four doors down."

Mac sat on the couch "Try again, this time the truth Veronica."

Veronica sat next to Mac "Worried and stressed."

"I figured as much. How are you?"

"Worried and stressed with a dash of anxious."

"Can I help with anything?"

"You can distract me for a little while."

"We do have a fully stocked bar and every movie channel on the planet. Not to mention we are in a hotel quickly filling with people we can mock and judge for their poor life decisions. I think we can find something to pass the time."

Veronica laughed at Mac. "Well for starters I would like to know how and why you became a part owner of the hotel."

"I can juggle; wouldn't you rather see me juggle?"

"Come on Mac."

Mac sighed and pulled her legs into her chest and placed her head on her knees "It happened about three years ago. The Grand was up for sale and some big chain wanted to come in and cookie cutter the place up and Dick was super upset about it."

"Of course he was." Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Hey peanut gallery, I'm telling a story here."

"Sorry."

"Dick has always had more than enough money to buy a house or two and move out of this place but he stayed because this is where Cassidy died and it's a reminder for Dick that there is a better way; that he can be better. You know Dick was lost for a couple of years but once he realized he could be successful outside of his parents and all their baggage he really came into his own. So he wanted to buy this place because this is his home."

"But I understand Logan helping Dick buy this place, but how did you get involved?"

"Dick was planning a launch party for my first game so we were spending hours together trying to make it perfect and we started talking. We talked about everything but mostly Cassidy. I know you remember the awful, awful things he did, we do too. But Dick and I also got to see the few flickers of light and happiness in him. When Dick told me he wanted to buy the Grand I told him I would help."

"But why Mac?"

"You think it's because Cassidy was my first love and Dick's little brother; and yes our loss and grief is what brought us together in the beginning. But now we can see each other out side of the Cassidy bubble and you know what, we still want and need the other one around so I bought twenty-five percent of the hotel."

"And Dick owns?"

"Twenty-five percent, Logan has fifty, but he and I let Dick handle the day to day operations and decision making."

"And it is working out you?"

"Actually it is. Dick has a knack for making good business decisions, and he throws lots of his CCC events here. We made our money back in just over a year, so I use this place as my retirement fund."

"And when did you fall in love with Dick?"

Mac looked at Veronica then turned away "I don't know what you are talking about."

Veronica watched Mac curled up in a ball at the end of the couch "Try again, this time the truth Mac."

Mac buried her head in her knees. "I don't know. But it doesn't matter nothing can ever happen; we are business partners and friends. I dated his brother for Christ sakes. Besides Dick already has a girlfriend he is busy making a statement with."

"Who is Dick dating?"

"Gia Goodman."

"What the hell?"

Mac lifted her head and looked at Veronica, "I know right! I thought it would be twisted if Dick and I ever got together but him being with her is just a new level of wrong."

Veronica decided Mac needed a drink so she got up and made her way to the bar. "Why is he even with her?"

"She runs some fancy boutique on Rodeo and they ran into each other at a party and he let his little Dick Jr. make the decision to take her home and they have been together for the last three months."

"What about his being a better person thing."

"Oh he thinks he is. He says Gia shouldn't be punished for the sins of her father and that being together they are rising above the dark history of their families. Can you believe that bullshit? I think Dick might have finally swallowed too much ocean water."

Veronica walked back to the couch and handed Mac a whiskey on the rocks. "Here, you need this. And how are you handling this?"

Mac took the drink and downed it in one long sip. "On I am a happy and supportive friend."

"And?"

"And at night I dream of ways to make Gia so fat she can only wear polyester muumuus."

"So you are handling this well."

Mac stood and walked to the bar to refresh her drink. "I'll be fine; I just have some issues to work out. These feelings for Dick will pass and we will be back to normal in no time."

"And how long have you been saying that?"

Mac threw her arms in the air and let out a yell. "Too long." She grabbed the whiskey bottle and took a swig straight from the bottle and brought it back to the couch with her.

"Mac maybe you should give me the bottle." Veronica reached for the whiskey.

Mac took a huge gulp from the bottle "Do you have any idea what it feels like to wake up every morning knowing you want the one person who you should never be with?"

Veronica laughed bitterly, "Nope. Not a clue." Veronica finally grabbed the bottle from Mac and put it back in the bar.

"Does it get easier? "

"It will someday."

"When?" Mac hid her head in her knees again.

Veronica sat back down and placed her arm around Mac and pulled her in. "I'll let you know when I get there."


	31. Chapter 31(a note from the writer)

I just wanted to take a moment and say a huge Thank You to all of you who have taken the time to read this story.

Betty March is the first story I have shared and I am floored by the interest and compliments in the reviews.

I know I have been a little slower with the updates recently, I have been distracted by life and new TV, but I hope you will stick around for the conclusion. My plan is to have the story completely finished by the end of October, mid November at the latest.

Again Thank You to each and every one of you. And please feel free to hit me with your questions, comments and or concerns.


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